What is the best PPE for electricians?

What is electrical PPE?

In short, electrical PPE refers to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which has been designed specifically for those working with electricity.

There are various types of electrical PPE available including:

• Head protection
• Eye and face protection
• Hearing protection
• Hand protection
• Foot protection
• Body protection

Its main purpose is to protect people from potential electrical hazards such as electric shocks and burns. Our guide on the Electricity at Work Regulations delves into this further.

Of course, as an electrician, electrical PPE is crucial, and you’ll need the right stuff for the job. Luckily, that’s where this guide comes in.

We’ve created this guide to answer the question of ‘what ppe do electricians wear and need’ including specific recommendations from our partners. That way, you can take advantage of our exclusive member discounts and sort out your electrician PPE for less.

Head protection for electricians

Head protection is there to prevent impacts and electrical injury. Depending on the type of work being carried out and where you’re working, the type of head protection you wear may vary.

For example, when working on construction sites, electricians must wear a properly fitted standard BS EN 397 A1 hard hat. This is due to the various head injury risks that can occur at constructions sites. You can find out more about this in our construction site PPE and workwear guide.

Our recommendation for this would be Portwest Endurance Safety Hat which is available in a few different colours. Not only does it conform to the necessary standards, but it also features a foam sweatband, rain gutter, and ear protector slots.

Alternatively, if there is no major risk of head injury then an electrician might instead opt for a bump cap. They can be particularly helpful and protect your head when working in areas with a low ceiling.

In our opinion, the Yoko Hi-Vis Safety Bump Cap fits the bill. Conforming to EN812: 2013, it has a removable cover along with an inner cotton sweatband.

Eye and face protection for electricians

Ultimately, the goal of eye and face protection is to prevent eye injury and irritation along with possible inhalation.

As an electrician, you need a pair of clear protective glasses to protect your eyes from dust or other flying debris.

If you’re not sure which are best, we’d suggest the Tread Protective Eyewear from Caterpillar. With fogging and scratch resistant coating on the lenses as well as an adjustable lens angle, you can wear them all day long.

When it comes to face protection, electricians might want to consider a dust mask. This will help to protect against breathing in non-toxic dust, pollen, and mould.

Hearing protection for electricians

The purpose of hearing protection is to prevent hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises. For electricians, this might not always be a necessity.

However, if working on a site where noisy work is happening elsewhere, they must wear some of hearing protection.

This could include:

• Ear defenders or ear muffs: Able to reduce noise levels without impacting the ability to have conversations, ear defenders are easy to wear. Our pick would have to be these Collapsible Ear Defenders since they’re super easy to carry around with you. Aside from conforming to EN352-1:2002, the soft, wide PVC ear cushions and adjustable cup height make them extra comfortable
• Ear plugs (either disposable or reusable): Ear plugs are another hearing protection option. Not only are they more discreet but they normally provide better protection than ear muffs. You can actually get 5 pairs of tapered ear plugs from Selco for less than £5

Hand protection for electricians

Much like other trade jobs, as an electrician you’ll be using your hands a lot. So, it’s especially important to have the appropriate hand protection when working with electricity.

A pair of electrician’s gloves are a PPE requirement for electricians as they help to limit the risk of electric shock and injury. From using electrician tools such as a powerful combi drill to connecting cables, there are various situations where wearing gloves is necessary.

When it comes to choosing a good pair of electrician’s gloves, there are three main things you need to consider:

1. Electrical protection: Of course, as you’ll be working with electricity, the gloves need to have the necessary voltage protection.
2. Physical/mechanical protection: Alongside electrical protection, the gloves should protect you from physical hazards. This includes avoiding cuts, punctures, and abrasions.
3. The sizing: How do they fit? It’s super important that the gloves fit your hands correctly. If not, you might not be able to work accurately which could cause injury despite their other protective features.

Foot protection for electricians

As you may have guessed, foot protection normally comes in the form of safety shoes. Similar to hand protection, there are certain features that you should be looking out for in your foot protection as an electrician.

Perhaps the most relevant for electricians is a non-conductive sole. It’s also worth checking that the shoes are puncture-proof.

Depending on the work environment, electricians might choose different types of foot protection. For example, safety trainers are more lightweight and flexible if you’re moving about a lot. However, steel-capped boots offer complete protection.

For a solid pair of boots, there are the Striver Mid S3 Safety Boots S3 Brown which boast antistatic protection and an anti-penetration steel midsole. Alternatively, there’s the Warrior Lightweight Mesh S1P SRC Safety Trainers. Whilst less chunky, these still feature a steel toe cap and have anti-static properties.

Body protection and workwear for electricians

The most important thing about body protection and workwear for electricians is that it’s breathable and covers the body and limbs fully. The clothing should also be made of non-conductive materials like cotton which will help reduce the risk of electrical burns.

As with any other PPE and work clothes, you should always wear the right stuff for the job. This usually means doing a full risk assessment beforehand.

One situation where this would be particularly relevant is if you’re working at height as you’ll need to necessary fall protection gear. Fall protection gear may include a harness, anchor points, carabiners, and lanyards.

Save money on electrician PPE by joining Checkatrade

Here at Checkatrade, we understand that the best electrician PPE doesn’t come cheap. We also know that it’s not worth going for cheaper stuff and compromising on quality.

That’s why our members get access to exclusive discounts on PPE for electricians in the UK. So, if you’re already a member, what are you waiting for? Log in to our member’s area to check our latest offers and discounts.

Alternatively, if you’re not yet signed up, don’t just sit around and have a look at membership. Our fixed membership option lets you build the plan that’s perfect for you and your business needs.