The gift of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a practical gift indeed

ARE YOU A PRACTICAL sort of gift buyer, preferring to give a family member or friend something he or she actually can use? If so, the Safety Solutions & Supply team would like to suggest that there’s nothing more practical than personal protective equipment, or PPE. It’s useful, of course, for people involved in construction, industry, shopwork, medicine, or hazardous trades, but it’s also practical for the rugged individualist, the outdoorsman or woman, the would-be lumberjack, the heavy-duty do-it-yourselfer (DIYer), or the careful-is-the-watchword person on your gift list.

Why have a personal PPE kit — something to keep within easy reach in the garage, shed, car trunk, or truck compartment? Because accidents happen. Because accidents can be avoided. Because it’s better to be safe than sorry. Because an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure. Because safety is in your hands. Because you just never know. You pick the safety adage.

Back to the gift giving, you can always help someone who already has PPE items — like safety glasses, earmuffs, or gloves — replace anything that has seen better days. For anyone who could use some PPE and doesn’t yet have anything, you can give one or two basic items and kick-start the PPE kit-building process.

A very basic PPE kit would consist of eye and hearing protection, safety gloves, a hard hat, and a high-visibility safety vest. You can take the kit to the next level with the addition of safety shoes or boots, respiratory protection (dust and particle masks), a total face shield, and coveralls. Step up the kit another notch with a high-visibility raincoat, rain boots (galoshes), and perhaps a carry bag to contain everything. If your gift-giving list includes someone who does a lot of traveling, a gift of a vehicle roadside emergency kit would be nice — and practical — and so would a year’s membership with AAA or another auto club.

At Safety Solutions & Supply, we offer a wide range of top-quality safety items, technology, garments, and gear — from the basic to the industrial. If you do decide to give the gift of personal protection to that special someone on your gift list — be it for Christmas, a birthday or for another special occasion, — we can help with further recommendations and the gift-selection process. Just give us a call at 1-866-537-2262 and ask for the retail center in either Mulberry, Fla., or Gonzales, La. Additional information can be found online at our retail center Web page here.