A Brief Evolution of Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is a modern tool used to promote public health and safety. Public use of PPE is being encouraged now more than ever during a pandemic. PPE’s recent boost in popularity may have you wondering how it was created and what makes it advantageous. Peruse a brief evolution of personal protective equipment to gain insight on the PPE we’re familiar with today.
Ancient and Medieval Protective Wear
Personal protective equipment dates back to the ancient times. Protective gear has always been worn in battle, though its functionality has improved over time. Outside of military use, blacksmiths in the Middle Ages would wear material to protect their skin from scalding equipment and sharp metals. Very thick aprons and other durable clothing, such as gloves, were worn to prevent workshop injuries.
World War I
The use of PPE was first well recorded during the First World War. Respirators were utilized by soldiers to filter dangerous air contaminants. Gas and harmful toxins were a popular tactic in World War I, which deemed respirators a necessity. Every soldier protected themselves as best they could by wearing sturdy PPE. The respirators, vests, and helmets that they wore all categorize as PPE.
Modern PPE
History has seen a brief evolution of personal protective equipment that resulted in the groundbreaking PPE we have today.
Headgear
It is crucial to protect the brain’s home! Protective headgear has developed to become more reliable and efficient in preventing head injuries, which can be some of the most lethal. Essential headgear has been created to safeguard our cognitive functions, vision, and hearing. You may be familiar with PPE for the head, such as:
- Face masks to ventilate the air we breathe
- Helmets or hard hats to shield our skull
- Durable goggles to prevent eye damage
Many careers require the use of protective headgear for the benefit of workers. Healthcare professionals and construction workers can be seen wearing goggles, masks, or helmets to keep them safe at work.
Gloves
From gardening to firefighting, protective gloves have been utilized for centuries to shield our hands from injury. Though we may be most familiar with using gloves to guard our hands from the cold, PPE gloves have become an essential on dangerous jobsites. For example, firefighters have refined fire protection gloves to ensure they meet the safety demands of the job.
Significant advances have been made in personal protective equipment to amplify the safety of those who wear it. PPE has become an increasingly popular piece of individuals’ everyday wear to promote the public’s health and safety. Throughout history, PPE has always served as a reliable form of security to its wearers.
