We all have to go the extra mile when it comes to our safety.

When even a minor lapse in judgment can lead to a severe injury or permanent disability, you can never be too careful. The construction field holds its fair share of risks in the day-to-day, ranging from sudden weather changes to malfunctioning heavy equipment, and it’s your duty as overseer to make sure everyone is covered. While supplying your employees with state-of-the-art construction safety vest materials and breathable reflective rain gear is a good place to start, swapping these items out for new models is also vital to ensure they’re receiving maximum benefits at all times.

What should you keep in mind when assigning safety equipment? Take a look and keep yourself covered with a little extra knowledge.

Replace Earplugs That Don’t Fit

Construction spaces are loud at the best of times. Employees need to make sure they’re wearing earplugs at all times, even when machinery is on standby. Depending on the fit and make earplugs are able to reduce noise by 15 to 30 decibels. Permanent hearing loss can be caused by sounds louder than 85 decibels, that of which can easily be achieved by proximity to modern construction machinery. Earplugs that wiggle even a little run the risk of falling out at a critical time, so make sure to replace these as soon as possible.

Swap Out Custom Reflective Jackets

The construction safety vest is an iconic part of the average construction team. That’s because it serves multiple purposes ranging from creating warm layers during cold weather to identifying personnel. Custom reflective jackets and hi vis button up shirts are essential to help drivers see workers in poor visibility, whether caused by rainy weather or nighttime hours. Even reflective tape can be added to pants, shoes or gloves to make sure nobody is put at the risk of a sudden collision while moving around.

Approve Updated Breathable Rain Gear

It’s not just injuries that need to be prevented on the job. Illnesses can worm their way into an employee’s life without warning and put them out for days, even weeks. According to data provided by the Institute For Work And Health In Canada a new employee in their first month at work has more than three times the risk for a lost-time injury than more experienced workers, which extends to contracting the common cold, influenza and more. Heavy duty rain gear for construction is designed to both insulate and push away moisture, keeping workers comfortable and dry at all times.

Be Critical Of Worn-out Shoes

An absolute essential for any day laborer are snug, durable shoes designed expressly for construction and the outdoors. While the average person might walk 10,000 steps a day, a construction worker can walk three times that much during a shift. One study found $70 is spent per employee on foot protection per year, but this might not be enough. This is due to shoes becoming worn out upon repeated usage, losing valuable traction and developing small holes that can lead to big problems down the road. Steel toed boots or thick sneakers, all shoes should be swapped at the earliest sign of damage.

All Helmets Must Be Sturdy

Last, but not least, an employee’s helmet must fit safety protocol or be thrown out. Nearly one third of all nonfatal work injuries back in 2013 required time away, with the majority of those hurt being employees with less than a year of service. While a broken finger or burned arm should be taken seriously, a blow to the head can be more than just painful…it can be deadly. Helmets should fit around the head without being too tight or too loose, with reliable materials able to deter even a serious encounter. When paired alongside a construction safety vest, all workers can be sure to work with confidence when they have their basic needs met.

Should you be replacing your construction safety vest or adding a hi vis hoodie to your standard apparel? Answer these questions now and proceed throughout 2018 as safely as possible.