A critical piece to operator safety is personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements for each specific piece of machinery on the rental yard. Before any machine goes out on rent, rental store personnel need to take the time to visit with customers about PPE requirements and make them aware of where the machine’s operator manual is located. Likewise, renters need to adhere to PPE requirements and make sure everyone working around equipment is taking proper precautions.
Popular rental equipment Vermeer manufactures includes mini skid steers (aka compact utility loaders), brush chippers, stump cutters (aka stump grinders), walk-behind pedestrian trenchers and compact articulated wheel loaders. Each product line, and in some cases models, have their own specific list of PPE requirements. So, it’s essential to always make sure to review the operator’s manual before work begins.
Standard PPE requirements
With that said, there are many standard PPE requirements that go along with operating almost any piece of heavy equipment. Before outlining those requirements, you should first understand what shouldn’t be worn around or while operating machinery.
- Jewelry — Rings, necklaces, wristwatches and bracelets are personal items that can act as catch points.
- Loose-fitting clothing — You need to make sure everyone on the jobsite is wearing close-fitting clothing to help minimize the risk of clothing getting snagged.
- Long hair — You don’t need to cut it off, but you do need to make sure it’s confined for the same reasons you shouldn’t wear jewelry or loose-fitting clothing.
Moving on to what you and everyone working around machinery should wear.
- Hard hat — Hard hats help protect your head from falling or thrown objects
- Eye protection — Safety glasses or goggles that are OSHA certified and wrap around your eyes offer protection from every angle.
- Safety shoes — When working around machinery, you need to wear safety shoes or boots that help provide protection against falls and rollovers. Everyone on the job should wear shoes and boots with toe guards and metatarsal guards. Also, if you’re working around electricity, you will need a nonconductive shoe to help protect against electric shocks.
- Hearing protection — Wear earplugs while working around machinery. Also, it’s worth noting that the type of hearing protection you should wear varies by the sound decibel and application of the machinery, as well as where the work is being performed. For example, operating a chipper near a building that sound can bounce off of can produce higher decibels of sound than using that same unit in an open area.
- Visibility/reflective clothing — If you’re operating equipment near traffic, you must also wear bright colors and/or reflective clothing.
Additional PPE for specific machines
PPE listed above is required when operating Vermeer mini skid steers, pedestrian trenchers, compact articulated loaders (ATX), brush chippers and stump cutters. However, there are additional PPE requirements unique to each machine category. Be sure to consult the operator’s manual for further details and requirements.
- Vermeer ATX
- PPE outlined above
- Hand protection — Gloves
- Face protection — Some attachments may require additional face protection. Be sure to review attachment decals and the manual to determine any other requirements.
- Vermeer brush chippers
- PPE outlined above
- Vermeer mini skid steers
- PPE outlined above
- Review attachment manual and decals to check that no additional PPE is required for operating that attachment.
- Vermeer pedestrian trenchers
- PPE outlined above
- Vermeer stump cutters
- PPE outlined above
- Face protection — Face shields must meet ANSI Standard Z87.1 – 2010 and be marked Z87+. Face shields are available from various sources, including your Vermeer dealer.
Additional PPE resources
For additional information about the proper way to operate Vermeer rental equipment and PPE requirements, view the following videos, visit vermeer.com/safety or contact your local Vermeer dealer.
Rental product videos:
Vermeer Corporation and MultiOne SRL Corporation reserve the right to make changes in engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications and attachments.
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