What PPE and workwear do I need when working as a plumber?

PPE and workwear for plumbers

When working as a plumber there is many potential risks you will need to consider when choosing the correct products for the user. We will take a look at what PPE & workwear every plumber will require from top to bottom, the PPE recommended is essential and will keep you and your colleagues safe in many worst case scenarios.

Key Takeaways

1. Head Protection: EN397 safety helmets for active sites; EN812 Bump Caps for low-risk environments.
2. Eye Protection: Safety spectacles (EN166 standard) for manual tools; safety goggles for power tools.
3. Respiratory Protection: Disposable dust masks for dust; half/full-face masks with filters for fumes and gases.
4. Safety Gloves: Varieties include heat-resistant, cut-resistant, and multipurpose gloves.
5. Workwear: High-visibility clothing, LED head lights, knee pads, and comfortable trousers.
6. Footwear: Non-slip, steel-capped boots for safety.
7. Conclusion: Selection of proper PPE and workwear is crucial for safety on plumbing sites.

Head Protection:

The correct head protection to wearer is depending on the environment, if you are working on an active plumbing site then there is likely a wide range of potential hazards such as falling objects from height.

If you are on a active plumbing/construction site we would recommend that a EN397 safety helmet is used to best protect the wearer, an example of an EN397 safety helmet is below:

MSA V-Gard 520 Peakless Safety Helmet - Here.

Alternatively, if you are not on an active site and perhaps carrying out work on a small built domestic property then your hazards are much lower and therefore a EN812 Bump Cap would be best, this will protect your head from small bumps and scraps from low hanging objects or basic hazards. An example of a EN812 bump cap is below:

Portwest PW69 Bump Cap - Here.

Eye Protection:

Eye protection comes in a few different variants such as safety spectacles, safety goggles and face shields. Goggles and face shields are excellent when looking to tackle liquid splash or working with power tools. We would recommend safety spectacles to the safety standard EN166 impact resistance, when working as a plumber often your work will include using manual tools – the safety spectacles will protect your eyes while carrying out these tasks.

If using power tools, we would recommend using safety goggles for a higher impact protection rating.

An example of suitable safety spectacles and safety goggles are below:

Bolle Rush+ Platinum Safety Spectacles - Here.

Portwest PS29 Impervious Safety Google - Here.

Respiratory Protection:

The use of respiratory protection will be depending on the hazard you are encountering, if you are going into an environment where dust is the only hazard then a standard disposable dust mask will be suitable however often plumbers will encounter fumes and gases, in this case you should use a half face mask with the correct filters to protect you from those fumes and gases. In some cases, a full-face mask will be more suitable.

Here is examples of disposable face masks:

Honeywell 2311 FFP3 Dust Mask - Here.

Safety Gloves:

As a plumber you are using your hands all day long, naturally it is easy to operate with full feeling and not wear protection however this is becoming an increasing issue for this trade with the number of injuries growing. Often being exposed to high levels of heat or cutting pipework the hazards are certainly clear to see.

We recommend having a few pairs of safety gloves to ensure your safety in numerous environments – gloves such as heat resistant gloves, cut resistant and multipurpose gloves.

Examples of Cut resistant safety gloves:

Cut resistant safety gloves - Here.

Workwear:

Hi vis workwear is essential when working on site, wearing high visibility clothing will allow your colleagues to see you on site which will in turn keep you safe. With building materials being delivered to site its essential that you are visible at all times.

Hi vis workwear such as Jackets, T-Shirts, Vests & Trousers are all available with different levels of reflectivity.

Essential workwear for plumbers would be as follows:

LED Head Light – Perfect when working in low light areas
Knee Pads – For knee protection when working in low down situations
Trousers – Ideally comfortable, stretchy trousers for wide ranges of movement.

Here is an example of Workwear suitable for a Plumber: OAKEYS Safety Workwear Range

This is a DX449 DX4 Work Trousers - Here.

Footwear:

To prevent slips and trips, it’s imperative to invest in good-quality safety footwear. Wearing thick, non-slip boots can help to minimise the risk of stumbling and falling, particularly if the site is wet and slippery due to poor weather conditions. Make sure you opt for boots with steel-capped toes, too, as these will protect your feet from any direct impact.

Here are examples of top-quality footwear – great for working as a plumber:
OAKEYS Safety | Safety Boots And Trainers

This is the Portwest FC58 Compositelite Avich Safety Boot - Here.

Conclusion

To conclude the PPE, workwear products you choose are essential to keeping workers safe on site. There is potential for hearing protection to be required if working around noisy equipment.

Here at OAKEYS we have a full range of PPE, Workwear & Traffic Management products offering high quality products at low prices. If you need any support on choosing the correct products, then please do get in touch with the team.

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1. What type of head protection should plumbers wear on active construction sites?
   • Plumbers should wear EN397 safety helmets for optimal protection on active construction sites.
2. Is a Bump Cap sufficient for indoor plumbing work?
   • Yes, an EN812 Bump Cap is suitable for lower-risk environments like domestic properties, offering protection against minor bumps.
3. What kind of eye protection is recommended for plumbers?
   • Safety spectacles (EN166 standard) are recommended for manual tool work, and safety goggles for higher impact protection with power tools.
4. When should plumbers use respiratory protection?
   • Plumbers should use disposable dust masks for dusty environments, and half or full-face masks with filters when dealing with fumes and gases.
5. What types of safety gloves are necessary for plumbing work?
   • Plumbers should have heat-resistant, cut-resistant, and multipurpose gloves to handle various tasks safely.

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