What Kind of PPE Do You Need To Wear on a Loading Dock?

Workers in a variety of professions wear specialized personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep themselves safe on the job. A loading dock is an area of a commercial or industrial building, especially warehouses, where people load and unload goods. Find out what kind of PPE you need to wear on a loading dock.

1. High-Visibility Clothing

One of the most important pieces of safety gear for dock workers is high-visibility, or hi-vis, clothing. As the name suggests, this clothing helps the wearer stand out from their surroundings. Hi-vis clothes commonly include shirts, vests, and hats, and workers can choose long-sleeve or short-sleeve PPE depending on the weather and their work environment.

Hi-vis clothes feature fluorescent colors like yellow-green, red-orange, and red—these colors make the wearer more visible during the day. Hi-vis clothes also have retroreflective material that reflects light back to the source emitting it. So, at night or in low-light conditions, people can see the wearer when a light shines on these clothes.

2. Steel-Toe Footwear

The next kind of PPE you need to wear on a loading dock is steel-toe footwear, usually in the form of boots. Dock workers rely on their feet to complete their work tasks, and foot injuries can endanger a worker’s livelihood. Of course, foot injuries can also cause problems for the person’s quality of life and overall health.

Steel-toe footwear protects the wearer’s feet from sharp objects that might otherwise puncture the shoe. They also protect the wearer from a crushing incident, which might happen if someone drops a heavy box or if the wearer gets too close to machinery.

3. Work Gloves

Workers on a loading dock move cargo throughout their shift, and they need to keep their hands safe and comfortable. Work gloves protect the wearer’s hands and fingers from cuts and abrasions.

Cargo may contain sharp objects that can protrude from their packaging and harm the worker. Materials like cardboard absorb moisture, and repeated direct contact can dry out hands, resulting in cracked skin. Sharp edges can also irritate the skin on a person’s hands and cause cuts. Wearing work gloves will help prevent these problems.