Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is an essential part of every safety program. Here are some general guidelines on PPE as they are applied to FIRST.

Safety Glasses: Safety glasses must be worn wherever tools are in use, the robot is activated, and where others around you are working. At FIRST competitions, they must be worn in the pits, on the playing field, in the tool shop, and at the practice field. If you see anyone not wearing safety glasses in an area they are required, quickly remind them to put them on!

When it comes to safety glasses, another thing to watch for is color. At FIRST competitions, you are not allowed to wear shaded or reflective glasses unless the safety advisors can see your pupils. When choosing glasses, you might want to keep these tips in mind as well. Rose colored cancels out red objects and can be a hazard. Shaded glasses darken the room and cause you too have impaired vision and reflective coating can have the same effect. Blue and amber/yellow glasses brighten the room but generally clear glasses are encouraged.

Gloves: Gloves can be used in a safe manner and also an unsafe manner. They should be worn when using the heat gun and sometimes when working with wood. Do not wear gloves when working around machinery that they could become caught in. For instance, gloves should not be worn when using a bandsaw or disc grinders as they easily catch in the spinning components and will quickly drag your hand into the blade. Gloves are not only a matter of safety but also can be a matter of comfort. When carrying the robot, it is advised to wear a pair of thin mechanics gloves to protect your hands from any sharp edges and to relieve some of the stress from the weight.

Earplugs: Wearing earplugs is a regulation enforced by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When the Decibel level reaches 90 db for more than 8 hours of exposure, you must wear appropriate earplugs. Earplugs are rated by how many Decibels they reduce. They do not eliminate conversational noise however so you don’t have to fear not being able to talk to the person next to you. To read the sound level, you need to purchase a Decibel reader and make sure to calibrate it before each competition according to your model.

Closed Toed Shoes: At FIRST competitions as well as in the workshop, you must wear closed-toe closed-heel shoes to protect your peds. Outlawed shoes include flip-flops, sandals, Crocs (even the closed Crocs as they are of a weak, rubbery material), and high-heels. Not only do these shoes fail to protect your feet from dropped items, but they can also cause a tripping hazard. While they are allowed in other areas of the competition, they are not allowed in the pits and you will be sent back if caught with them on.

There is such a thing as the wrong tool for the job and the same applies to PPE. As mentioned gloves should not be worn around tools with spinning components. Avoid wearing jewelry, this includes bracelets, necklaces, and gaudy earrings. Also, if wearing a hoodie, make sure the strings are tucked in as they hang down and easily catch in tools.