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An important key to safety when volunteering is what you wear. Here’s a list of appropriate attire for a construction site.
YOUR TOP
Wear a heavy duty shirt, preferably long sleeved. Do not wear a shirt that is too loose or baggy. Keep your shirt tucked in to avoid snagging. Your shirt will protect you from sunburn, so keep it on even when the weather is hot. It also will protect you from scrapes and from skin-irritating materials.
YOUR PANTS
Wear straight pants of proper length without pocket flaps or cuffs. They should not be baggy or so long that your heels get caught in them. Be mindful of having your belt secured through your pant’s belt loops.
LEAVE JEWELRY HOME
One of the most common causes of amputated fingers is jewelry, such as rings, wrist watches and bracelets. Jewelry can too easily get caught in machinery, which is very dangerous.
FOOTWEAR
The best type of footwear on a job site are high top safety boots. They give you more support than other boots and more protection than tennis shoes, in case something should drop on your foot. Wear rubber boots when working in wet material. Tennis shoes are also typically allowed on Habitat job site.
WINTER WEAR
During cold weather, dress in layers so you can shed an outer layer as they day grows warmer.
SUMMER WEAR
In most parts of the country it gets very hot during the summer months. While you do want to dress to be comfortable it is advised that you continue to wear long pants and a shirt with sleeves. Tank tops or sandals/flip flops should never be worn on a construction site!
PPE. That’s Personal Protective Equipment.
The affiliate with whom you are volunteering should provide a hard hat for use during your volunteer time. Other important PPE includes gloves, eye protection (aka safety goggles), and earmuffs or earplugs. You should make a point to bring these items with you to the job site.