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Posted by Metrotalk Inc on 3/3/2022 to
It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, safety gear is needed for your protection. Even working in an office, there are fire extinguishers, medical gear, running water and air ventilation to keep you safe throughout the day. So, it’s safe to think that if your job is a bit more hazardous, that the safety gear required to work in the field would be more abundant.
Working outdoors offers some advantages that most don’t get to appreciate. You are not stuck at a desk all day. You are not working in smaller spaces throughout the day, and you also have the benefit of getting some exercise. Depending on the job, working outdoors can actually be somewhat of an adventure.
Importance Of Safety Gear
When you are working outdoors, there are a variety of things you need to add to your safety gear list. The standard things are going to be determined based on the type of work you are doing. For example, a contractor will need different gear than someone who is taking care of horses. The standard things include protective and comfortable shoes and clothing, eye and face protection, gloves that are appropriate for whatever type of work you are doing and also a hard hat if recommended. This gear isn’t just beneficial in avoiding sudden serious injury, but it can also prevent long-term injuries that will cause discomfort over time.
Types Of Outdoor Work
There are several types of work that require you to be outdoors for most of the day, if not all of it. If that forces you to exert yourself even with walking, your safety gear requires the latest and most reliable products for your protection. Depending on the job, you may need more substantial gear. It’s recommended that you research the requirements for your job and talk to your employer about additional things you want. Here are some standard options for different jobs:
- Construction: One of the toughest outdoor jobs there is, construction requires you to be on your feet and working throughout the day. It is a grueling job and takes true dedication. Gear needed to protect you would include gloves, hard hats, eyeglasses, thick boots and potentially knee and elbow protection, back braces and breathing ventilation depending on the materials you are working with.
- Environmental care: There are several occupations that require environmental care and protection. These occupations are rewarding but also challenging. They include having to be out in the most remote areas, secluded from anyone and anything that can help.
- Cell towers: While cell towers are usually not found in distant, remote areas, there are the issues of if they are not working. How are you going to communicate with your team if a tower is down? Two-way radios are a big help with that and can eliminate a lot of the struggles with communication you have during work after an outage.
- Marine work: Working on a boat is fun and gives you a chance to hit the open water. However, it also is where technology truly struggles. Even the best tech is no match for the ocean, and you could have a real challenge with communication, even a couple of miles offshore. This is where you also want to have life jackets, sunscreen, flares and other gear to offer you some form of protection or signaling assistance.
The fact is that millions of people venture out into the outdoors each year, either for fun or for work. Whatever your reason is, having the proper gear is essential to not only being safe, but also having an enjoyable time. Take a moment to research specific needs for the terrain you work in, recommendations and more. It could help you with even minimal issues but it’s worth it.
Best Additional Gear
One of the reasons people usually are under equipped for going out into the wilderness is because they do not anticipate what they need. They expect they will be back at a certain time and that they can rely on technology to help them if otherwise. The irony is that this is exactly what makes their situations even more difficult, when the addition of some valuable gear could have made the entire experience much easier.
- Commercial radios: The first and most valuable piece of equipment you can have is one that helps with communication. Think about being stranded in a remote area, your cell phone may not work. The easiest way to get help is to use a two-way radio to communicate with your group if you get lost or hurt, and even send your coordinates if the radio has a display and GPS. Another feature when you are outdoors if you have a VHF radio is that you can listen to the weather forecast if you programmed the frequency on the radio.
- First aid kits: It’s amazing how many people go out into the wilderness without a first aid kit. Forget something serious happening, even a basic cut can get infected. You should have a kit to take care of basic injuries, and one that you can easily carry is always a great idea as well.
- Water: The human body can handle maybe three days without water. That’s the average science tells us before we suffer from severe dehydration and start doing real damage to our body. While you are loading energy drinks and lunch in the truck, perhaps throw a couple of gallon jugs of water back there as well. It will last a long time, and you will be thankful you have it if you need it.
- Tool kit: A tool kit is great because it allows you to carry a variety of items including a first aid kit, flashlight, signaling devices as well as anything you may need for your daily work. Imagine being told you had to survive on your own for a couple of days. What would you put in that tool kit along with your work gear?
Breaking down safety gear should also be based on what you can carry and what you can keep in your vehicle. Your vehicle should be equipped with extensive gear as it’s easy to transport and keep out of the way. What gear you will keep on yourself is a completely different story and requires you to focus on what will be reasonable to carry. You do not want to carry too much, because it will be an annoyance while you are working. Pack light, but pack prepared as well. You may not need a piece of safety equipment, until you do.