Jobsite Safety Part II
In part 2 of this blog series we will be looking into hand and foot protection, body protection, and jobsite safety.
Hand & Foot Protection
Hand and foot protection are always important to consider when working with coatings. If you are using hand protection on the job, make sure the gloves you are using are chemical resistant. Chemical resistant gloves are built to withstand most corrosive chemicals and will protect your hands from harsh chemicals on the jobsite. 
Although our silicone is not considered highly corrosive, we still recommend gloves to make sure there is no irritation from any of the silicones or primers on the jobsite. When considering foot protection, keep in mind that having soak-resistant boots is a must. Your boots need to eliminate silicone contact with your feet to keep your feet dry and out of harm’s way. They should also be slip resistant to help avoid any falls on the jobsite.
Body Protection
Proper body coverage is also important when working with coatings. Like with any chemicals, contact with skin should be avoided. Coveralls are always a good idea when using coatings. If no coveralls are available, making sure your arms and legs are covered with long sleeves and long pants can suffice. This will also help to fight off sun burn when roofing. Wide-brim hats and long sleeves can keep you cool on hot days and will protect from sun burn. Sunscreen is another great item to have in your tool bag!
Jobsite Safety
Jobsite safety is just as important as proper gear on roofing jobs. To begin, ladder tie downs are necessary to ensure your ladder doesn’t slide away from the roof. On the roof, you will want to follow your fall protection program while establishing a warning line at a proper distance from the leading edge. Be sure to use personal fall arrest systems whenever possible while securing appropriate anchor points.
To help you keep your safety gear in order, you can find our safety checklist online here. Please remember that each project should follow site-specific safety programs (i.e. Fall Protection Programs, etc.) as outlined by a Job Hazard Assessment prepared by the contractor. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should always be utilized in accordance with OSHA & ANSI standards. Our safety coordinator, Ross Heinz, is available to answer any questions you may have about jobsite safety. You can reach Ross here or call our main office at 812.944.7803.
If you missed part I of this blog series and would like to read it, you can find it here: https://pmsilicone.com/jobsite-safety-checklist/
