Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is one of the most important components on any jobsite. Tucker Paving knows that there is nothing as important as ensuring that everyone on the crew goes home whole and healthy at the end of every day. Thankfully, PPE continues to be advanced through technology and innovation, meaning that today’s PPE is better at keeping you safe than the PPE of the past. That also means that the PPE of the future will be amazing.

Innovations in PPE
The PPE of the future will not just protect you, it will also be more comfortable and tailored to your specific needs. Innovations in PPE include:

  • Smart PPE. Can your PPE tell you when you’re too hot or too cold? Can it tell you that you are using poor form during lifting or a repeated movement task that is leaving you open to injury? Can it warn you that you are getting too close to heavy equipment or machinery? Future PPE will be paired with artificial intelligence, or AI, to help keep workers safe. Rather than only protect workers from falling debris or moving equipment, future PPE will be preventative; it will be able to identify the danger and warn workers before an accident or injury can occur.
  • Enhancing PPE. In addition to keeping works safe from harm, the PPE of the future will also help workers to do their jobs better and more efficiently. One example that is being developed is a wearable exoskeleton that will protect wearers and assist them in lifting heavy objects; this increases the productivity and efficiency of a worker as well reduces the chances of injury.
  • Customized PPE. If you’ve ever had a pair of safety glasses that pinch your head or a fall protection harness that just doesn’t feel good to wear, you’ll benefit from customized PPE. Technology like algorithms and 3D printing will allow you to have access to PPE that was made just for you so that it fits and feels good to wear.
  • Sustainable PPE. The PPE of the future will move away from being made of one-use plastics and towards using materials that are reusable, recyclable, and eco-friendly. 

In our nearly 30 years in the asphalt and concrete paving industry, the Tucker Paving team has seen our fair share of advancements. Since safety is always our #1 priority, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for PPE. Let us assist you with your next concrete or asphalt paving project by calling us at (863) 299-2262, or filling out our contact form online.