I have written about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before. I bring it up again because I see way too many people failing to use appropriate PPE for the recreational activities in which they are involved and often suffer unnecessary injuries because of it. And now, with the COVID-19 situation, EVERYONE needs to be aware of and make use of appropriate PPE on a daily basis! Also, as a volunteer firefighter, I am continually reminded of the absolute need to wear appropriate PPE for ANY activity. The need in the fire service is pretty obvious and difficult to ignore. It is way to easy to ignore proper PPE precautions when performing many routine tasks, like chopping firewood or building campfires. I've seen too many dirt bike riders injured for lack of proper body armor and, quite honestly, have to admit having been guilty of it myself. I once rode in just my jeans instead of my riding pants and knee pads and ended up with one leg bruised from ankle to knee for several weeks, It wasn't supposed to be any kind of vigorous ride and I was in a bit of a hurry. Bad mistake! I came up over the crest of a little rise, the back wheel hit a rock and kicked out from under me and the motorcycle landed on my unprotected knee. If I had a been wearing the knee braces I normally wear when riding, it would have been no big deal. Since I had left them off, I ended up getting an injury that took weeks to heal. Never again!
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is not just for sissies! Many vocations and avocations have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is peculiar to their specific needs. Doctors and other heath care professionals wear face masks, eye protection, and latex gloves. Firefighters wear heavy, fire-resistant "turn outs". Road workers wear reflective vests or suits. Football players wear helmets and pads. Race car drivers wear helmets and fire-resistant suits. OHV riders wear helmets, goggles, and other "body armor". Boaters need personal flotation devices (life vests or belts). Hey, you probably even use PPE in your kitchen at home -- in the form of hot pads or oven mitts -- or at least you should.
Some Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required by law or by regulations in a particular sport. Sometimes PPE is matter of choice. However, it is called PERSONAL Protective Equipment because it protects your person, not so much because it is a personal choice. In come cases, PPE is required by law or other safety regulations but proper PPE should always be considered and worn by anyone when possible. Anyone involved in any activity that requires PPE must wear the designated equipment. Anyone involved in any kind of activity that has any risk of personal injury should always wear proper PPE. A thought that puts it in perspective for me: when riding a dirt bike, its OK to put your head in a $10 helmet -- IF you have a $10 head! Good helmets run at least $200-300. Yes, some PPE can be expensive, but always consider how expensive it might be NOT having proper PPE! Medical bills and loss of income while disabled will usually be much higher than the cost of protection, to say nothing of pain and suffering!
There are laws in many jurisdictions that require OHV riders (at least those below a certain age) to wear helmets. Use of other PPE by OHV riders is usually at the discretion of the rider. Having been a dirt bike rider for about 40 years I can personally attest to the value of proper PPE on EVERY ride. In addition to a helmet, every rider should wear goggles. Other useful items include proper riding boots, jerseys, pants, gloves, knee pads, elbow pads, kidney belts, and chest protectors. You might limit what PPE you wear while riding in a UTV or side-by-side to a helmet and goggles, but I strongly advise anyone riding a dirt bike or ATV to wear full body armor. When you part company with your ride and enter into a durability contest with the dirt and rocks I guaranty you the dirt and rocks are going to win! You will come out the loser even landing on grass, dirt, or sand, Wearing proper body armor will mitigate many of the injuries you might experience. I have some rather deep and nasty scratches on the back of my chest protector that would have sliced deep into my back had I not been wearing it when I fell into a rock pile or skidded on the pavement.
I have provided other posts that describe specific types of PPE for OHV riders. Check out the follwing links:
Water sports have their own unique PPE. For the most part this consists of a Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD), usually in the form of a life vest or life belt. Most boats are also required to carry throwable floatation devices, such as a life preserver or throwable cushion. If you are involved in boating on cold water, a wet suit or even a dry suit may be needed to protect you against hypothermia should you fall overboard. You may not see regulations dictating cold water protection, but a little research into deaths from hypothermia for professional racers who fell in the water should quickly convince you of the true need. Standard boating rules require every boat to carry a life jacket or vest
for every person on board, The law does not mandate they be worn at all
times but common sense certainly does. In some sailboat races, all crew are required to wear PFDs all the time when the winds are above a certain speed Some folks are campaigning for a similar rule for wearing wet or dry suits when the water is below a certain temperature. Exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation in sunlight requires proper hats and sunscreen plus good sunglasses. In my mind, wearing appropriate PPE for any situation is ALWAYS mandatory, if not by the rules, by common sense!
PPE for some common outdoor activities may be a little less well defined. But that doesn't mean you should ignore proper safety measures. For hiking, properly fitted boots are a basic requirement. A lot of folks opt for lighter weight running shoes, but they lack the ankle support often needed when hiking. Good hiking advice says to wear an appropriate sock system. That's right, a system, not just a single pair of socks! A strong, correctly sized hiking stick is also a good idea. Even a good hat and appropriate sunglasses could be better thought of as PPE than a fashion statement. Sturdy leather gloves and eye protection are needed for cutting and handling firewood. Gloves and eye protection are a good idea when building and lighting campfires too, A proper hat for protection from the sun, along with sunscreen, could be considered PPE for almost any outdoor activity. Oven mitts or other sturdy hand protection should always be worn when cooking on a campfire. Hey, even a swimsuit could be considered proper PPE for some aquatic activities! Bicycle riders often ignore PPE, sometimes much to their dismay when they have an accident. A bicycle helmet tops the list, followed by proper shoes, gloves, and riding shorts. I like to wear a baseball cap under my riding helmet because my helmet doesn't have a visor to keep the sun out of my eyes. Cowboy hats are common head wear for equestrian activities. They provide pretty good protection from sun and even rain. However, they do not provide impact protection if you are thrown or fall off your horse. Did you knot that head injuries from equestrian accidents exceed those from motorcycle accidents? There are fairy stylistic equestrian riding helmets you should consider.
Of course we are currently required by law in most places to wear a face mask due to COVID-19. Anyone working with COVID patients, such as first responders and medical professionals, also wear latex gloves, goggles, and often a protective gown. To some the precautions may seem excessive, but given the risks associated with COVID-19, they are appropriate. I know a doctor who has personally treated more than 2000 COVID patients and remained free from infection, due to proper PPE and proper protocols, such as hand washing and disinfecting equipment and facilities.
And yes, I realize this is at least a second post on PPE. But it is a topic that too many people tend to ignore and an occasional reminder is often worthwhile.
Be protected!
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