Personal protective equipment

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Wearing the wrong kind of protective footwear on the job can cause discomfort, calluses, ingrown toenails and generally tired feet.

When handling chemicals, it is important that workers protect their hands.

NIOSH states that roughly 2,000 workers per day suffer a job-related eye injury that requires medical attention, with the majority involving small particles or objects irritating the eye.

The workplace can create many hazards for your hands, whether from chemicals, cuts or burns. No single glove can provide appropriate protection for every work situation, so it is important to assess the risk for each task and select a glove that provides specialized protection.

Eye and face injuries commonly are caused by flying or falling objects, or sparks striking the eye. Different types of hazards may require different types of protection, including goggles, faceshields or wielding shields.

Although disposable respirators cannot completely protect a worker from inhaling airborne particles, they can reduce the number of particles inhaled.

Approximately 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, according to NIOSH. Hearing damage caused by exposure to loud noise may occur long before changes in hearing are perceived.

OSHA requires respiratory protection to be worn whenever work is being conducted in hazardous atmospheres. Although different respirators are required in different atmospheric situations, in all cases training must be provided to employees using such devices.

Work-related hearing loss is the second most self-reported occupational illness or injury, according to NIOSH. An estimated 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job, with the most at-risk industries being agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing and utilities, transportation, and military.