Workplace Safety Trivia Quiz

Answer: Respirator

There are basically two types of respirators used in general industry. One type provides fresh air to the mask of the respirator while the second type simply filters the air that the wearer is breathing. It depends on the type of hazard that the wearer is exposed to determine which type is the right one.

Answer: Face shield

Machining parts can produce sparks and flying debris which could produce burns on the face or could even lead to eye damage. Full face shields can be used to prevent sparks or small pieces of metal from damaging the worker's face or eyes. Face shields can sometimes be used with or without a hard hat depending on the other dangers around the worker.

Answer: Goggles with very dark lenses

Different types of welding produces different types of electric arcs, so there are different types of goggles that the welder can use to best protect his vision. Welding hoods are equipped with built in goggles with the correct shielded lenses to ensure the worker's eyesight is not ever in danger.

Answer: Hard hat

The hard hat is one of the most popular pieces of safety equipment available to workers. Almost no one is allowed on the work floor without their hard hat on. There are different types of hard hats available to the worker depending on what their job is.

There are hard hats to protect from electrical hazards, hard hats to prevent damage to the head from falling objects and even bump caps to prevent the worker from walking into that crane hook that always seems to be left right at eye level. The hard hat is one of the most important of all safety equipment because it protects one of the most important parts of the body, the head.

Answer: Acid proof apron with sleeves and gloves

Different chemicals react differently with certain materials, so it is important that the apron, sleeves and gloves selected actually provide adequate protection to the body. A plastic apron would be of no use against aggressive acids, but an acid proof vinyl suit would.

It's important to understand the hazards of the chemicals that are being worked with to ensure the equipment used is made of the right materials.

Answer: Gloves made with metal threads which are difficult to cut into

There are several types of gloves on the market which claim to be cut-proof, but I prefer using a Kevlar based gloves which are reinforced with metal threads. It is extremely difficult to penetrate this type of glove with even a razor sharp knife. Rubber or vinyl gloves would be no match against a razor blade. Leather gloves may slow down the razor blade, but there's still a pretty good chance the blade would cut through the leather and could leave the worker with a pretty nasty cut.

Answer: A buoyant life vest

Working around water, especially deep water, requires the worker to wear a safety vest which is buoyant and will help keep the worker afloat until help arrives. In some factories, workers are only allowed to work around water using the buddy system, but in most cases both workers would have on life vests.

In some cases, it may be required that workers operate out of floating pontoons or boats and the same requirement of wearing a life vest would apply.

Answer: Have the worker wear a body harness which is tied to a safe point over his head.

There are full body harnesses available with a lanyard attached which can be tied to a safe point above the worker's head. If he falls, the lanyard will catch the worker and not allow him to hit the ground. Most lanyards are provided with a shock absorbing device to dissipate the energy from the fall so the worker does not end up with a hurt neck or back from the fall.

Answer: A full mask with fresh air tanks that covers the entire face of the worker.

There is a device called an SCBA, which stands for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, that the worker can wear which feeds fresh air into his mask making it impossible for him to breathe the outside air. The SCBA comes with a predetermined amount of air in the tanks so the worker must know how long his safe air will last and time his job to exit before his air runs out.

Answer: Steel-toe leather boots with proper ankle supports.

There are dozens of types of injuries that can occur to a worker's foot, but many of these can be eliminated or minimized by wearing a sturdy leather boot. Adding a steel covering over the toes and ankles only adds to the protection provided. Boots should be selected that are comfortable and that fit properly so the worker doesn't develop sore feet from wearing his safety shoes. Also, slip resistant boots are available in case the worker is in a slippery location.