Lesser-Known Jobs that Require the Use of Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment has surged in popularity in the last year. Because of the pandemic brought about by Covid, frontliners have been wearing PPEs for added protection on the job.

But did you know that PPEs are not just for those in the medical field? Long before medical PPEs got in demand, eye protection like goggles and safety boots like blue steel work boots have been in use in several workplaces. Among the most popular of these are the construction sites and manufacturing factories. 

While these jobs and their use of PPEs are easily understood and acknowledged, some will make you raise your brows and ask, “why are they all covered up?” 

Let us know what these underrated jobs are and why PPEs are required for them.

Baggage Workers

Handling baggage is a tough job. After all, some bags can weigh up to 23 kilograms. Imagine accidentally letting go of something that heavy and having it land on your foot. Hence, baggage handlers need to wear heavy-duty gloves to give them a firm grip on things and work boots to protect them from heavy weights.

Additionally, baggage handlers and other airport personnel need to wear ear protection tools such as earplugs to protect their hearing from the loud airport noise.

Chefs and Kitchen Workers

Cooking sounds like an easy job, right? Unfortunately, it is not. Being a chef is a profession that comes with a lot of risks. You can get your hands burned or cut. You can get splashed on with boiling food or hot oil. You can even be yelled at by a disappointed customer. 

These are just some of the disasters that can happen in the kitchen. And these are some of the reasons why wearing protective equipment is necessary. When cooks use safety gloves, protective eyewear, non-slip protective boots and other PPEs, they can avoid the risks that come with their very noble job.

Nail Technicians

Don’t be surprised to come face to face with a nail technician wearing full PPE. After all, they stay long hours in a workplace where fumes from acetone and other chemicals needed to clean nails circulate all day. Without masks, they face the danger of inhaling these harmful fumes that may cause respiratory conditions.

Moreover, wearing gloves and non-slip boots are quite common in these kinds of workplaces. 

Delivery Services

Delivery personnel are in charge of taking a variety of items from one point to another. These items can be documents, packages, appliances, equipment, and even food. And they can be delivered in motorcycles, cars, vans or trucks.

Delivering various things in various forms exposes delivery people to potentially hazardous products. Thus, they need to protect themselves and wear personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks to prevent any injury.

It may seem normal seeing people who work on construction sites or in hospitals in full PPEs. But have you seen those working in airports wearing blue steel work boots or restaurant staff wearing protective gloves and goggles? 

The scene may raise questions, but you need to remember that every job comes with a hazard. Thus, every worker needs to have a certain degree of self-protection, whatever the job may be.

And for your safety, you need to identify the risks you face in the workplace and be sure to use the appropriate personal protective equipment that will protect you from those risks.