Joel
B. Lown
University of Tennessee Extension
Someone
who thinks clothing isn't important has never misplaced a
tie before a formal business meeting. They've never discovered,
while unpacking at the beach, that their swimsuit stayed home.
Most of us accept that special clothing is required at a wedding,
on a hiking trip, or for sports activities. We understand,
too, that clothing construction changes over a period of years
as new knowledge, materials, and techniques become available.
It's
the same in your yard or garden. Many outdoor chores require
specialized clothing, and the clothing is not the same as
it was a few years ago. It's now lighter, stronger, more comfortable,
and more protective. Here's a partial list of what to wear
outdoors, approximate costs, and when the items are appropriate:
Bodywear
- A new breed of lightweight coveralls ($5-20) is available
for spraying pesticides or handling chemicals. Special pants
or chaps ($60-80) of hard-to-cut materials are recommended
if you use a chain saw. In an accident, they slow the saw's
cutting, buying you precious time to react.
Headgear
- A broad-brimmed hat ($10-25) will keep you cool during routine
yard work and reduce your risk of skin cancer later in life.
An approved hard hat ($5-10), not a baseball cap, protects
from falling dead branches when cutting a tree. It's also
the best protection for the top of your head when spraying
pesticides or handling chemicals.
Eyewear
- Safety glasses ($3-10), goggles ($4-15), or a face shield
($14-20) provide increasing levels of protection from flying
debris produced by power equipment or the impact of hand tools.
For handling chemicals, spraying, and some dusty conditions,
choose splash-resistant goggles or a face shield with an overhang.
For very fine dusts or smoke, unvented goggles are needed.
"Breathing"
wear - For general yard work, a low cost dust/mist respirator
($.50-4) can filter out harmful particles and nuisance irritants.
It will last longer and is much more effective than the more
common single-strap dust mask. If gases or vapors are
a danger, as with pesticides, a chemical cartridge respirator
($15-30) is required. When using any respirator, make sure
the respirator is approved for the hazard encountered. For
those who have trouble breathing through a standard respirator,
lightweight helmets with powered filters are available for
some conditions.
Earwear
- Most power machinery produces damaging noise levels. Soft
foam car plugs (10-25 cents) are comfortable and very effective.
Muffs ($10-15) are ideal for times when you are exposed to
dangerous noise repeatedly for short periods, since you can
easily put them on and take them off.
Handwear
- Chemical-resistant gloves ($2-15) should be used for handling
pesticides or working with other chemicals. Leather gloves
($2-20) offer protection from cuts, bums, and vibrating or
heavy objects.
Footwear
- Chemical-resistant boots ($10-40), or booties ($1-7) are
needed for handling hazardous liquids and sprays. For other
outdoor activities, leather work boots ($50-100) with non-slip
soles offer better protection for your feet and better traction
than casual shoes or sneakers.
Over-the-ankle
models also provide valuable ankle support.
For
more information on outdoor protective clothing, or a list
of dealers that carry these items, call your County Extension
Agent or the Extension Safety Specialist at 615-974-7237.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent
NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission
of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
news release was distributed by the University of Tennessee
Agricultural Extension Service, Knoxville, Tennessee 37901.
Publication date: July 1993.
Joel
B. Lown, Agricultural Safety Specialist, Agricultural Engineering
Department, University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension
Service, Knoxville, Tennessee 37901.
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