Ok, you could compare the two – but thanks to superior understanding, the two are largely incomparable. Previously, as perfervid readers of our blog will remember, we gave an overview of the absolute importance of safety equipment.

Here, in this mini-series, we’re going to take a more in-depth look at a range of safety equipment products for each part of your body. Of course, every part of a worker’s body requires quality protection, but one of the most important is the face. So let’s take a look at what’s out there, and why it’s absolutely vital to make sure your equipment is in tip-top shape.

Eye Protection

Safety spectacles and goggles come in a range of designs, which, naturally, suit a variety of different uses. After all, you wouldn’t want to risk wearing shooting safety glasses if you’re a welder, right? They’re totally unsuited to the task. Probably the protective eyewear most folks are familiar with are the goggles we all wore at school while boiling chemicals over a Bunsen burner. These wrap around the entire optical area, preventing dangerous solutions from getting anywhere near the eyes. Wraparounds are also recommended for those working in construction, where dust particles and debris can damage the eyes. If that’s not an issue, then standard safety spectacles should be fine.

Ear Protection

Protecting your hearing is utterly crucial, because once that’s gone, it’s gone for good. And you don’t want to end up like most of the members of The Who, who can no longer hear due to playing too loud. There are two main types of defence against loud noises and, again, depending on where you work, they vary in their uses. First up, the classic ear plugs. Tiny little buds of foam, typically disposable, which offer limited protection from low frequency noise. They generally reduce sounds by about 20 decibels. Of course, you can also comfortably wear them when your other half is snoring too loud. For superior protection against loud, high frequency sounds, there are headphone-style ear defenders.

Breathing Protection

When working in hazardous areas, it’s darn important to make sure you can breathe. For obvious reasons. That’s why there’s a range of protective items that can filter out anything noxious. For instance, building sites can be drenched in clouds of dust. And no-one wants that gooking up their lungs. For moderate risks, disposable face masks can offer protection against fine dust particles and the like. Air that’s highly contaminated by things like dust and fumes can be defended against with the use of respirators – which can come in either disposable or re-useable models. And of these, there are two types of respirators: those that offer the user a separate supply of clean air, and those which purify the air that’s breathed in.

Here at Hart Wholesale, we take personal protective equipment requirements seriously. After all, we don’t just supply customers with high-quality Blum hinges and unique ironmongery products; we also offer a wide range of safety equipment for those who need it. So, if you’re in need of defence against ear, eye and breathing damage, we can help. For more information about what we offer, and how we can help you, all you have to do is contact us on 01702 614 044 and our dedicated team of professionals will be delighted to assist with all of your enquiries.