Worksite Safety: Protect All 5 Senses of Your Workforce
From a busy workshop floor to a remote job site or industrial facility, your team's senses are critical for staying safe and aware. Protecting them is fundamental to workplace safety. Chemical hazards, excessive noise, and airborne particles can cause serious injury and lead to significant operational disruptions if proper precautions aren't in place.
At Lawson Products Canada, we understand that comprehensive safety means covering all the bases. Here's how to approach sensory protection systematically, with the equipment and strategies you need to keep your workforce protected, productive, and in compliance with safety standards.
Sight: Keep particles, splashes, & debris away
Worksites can be brutal on the eyes. From flying debris to chemical splashes to airborne particles, there are constant hazards that make eye protection essential.
For protection that doesn’t slow you down, SenTec wraparound safety glasses are designed with a super lightweight frame for a sleek appearance. They’re durable enough for any task in construction, manufacturing, or medical fields.
In splash hazard-prone environments, Stryker safety goggles feature a wide lens for unobstructed field of vision, indirect vents for chemical splash protection, and lenses treated with Duramass® AF4 anti-fog coating. The transparent PVC body works with most half-mask respirators and protects against impact and splash.
Protecting the eyes is the first critical step, but it’s vital to be prepared for an emergency response, too.
The Porta Stream II Eyewash Station provides a portable, self-contained solution with 15 minutes of uninterrupted flushing. For permanent sites, the Wall-Mount Halo™ Eyewash Station is an easy-to-use, high-visibility option.
Explore all of our eye protection solutions to safeguard your team’s vision from every angle.
Hearing: Prevent auditory damage & dangerous miscommunication
Worksite noise isn't just annoying; it can be hazardous. According to CCOHS, employers must provide hearing protection when noise exposure exceeds 85 decibels (dB) over an 8-hour time-weighted average. The exposure time allowed decreases as decibels increase. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels may lead to permanent hearing damage, difficulty communicating critical information, and higher accident risk due to missed auditory cues.
Reliable hearing protection is a must to protect your crew. The LS500 Ear Plug Dispenser is a highly visible, wall-mounted solution that holds up to 500 pairs of earplugs, so workers can easily grab protection on the go.
For jobs that require more robust coverage, the V2 Passive Ear Muff delivers comfortable, high-performance noise reduction with a slim profile and adjustable headband for a secure fit in confined or active environments.
Browse all of our hearing protection gear to keep your team compliant and protected, shift after shift.
Smell & Taste: Breathe safely anywhere
Senses of smell and taste are more than just biological perks — they act as early warning systems for danger. But on the job, they’re constantly under threat from airborne contaminants like fumes, dust, vapors, and chemical residues.
Canadian employers are required to provide suitable respiratory protection when engineering controls are not sufficient to reduce airborne hazards to safe levels. This includes conducting hazard assessments, fit testing, and ensuring proper respirator maintenance. CCOHS also provides guidance on choosing the right respirator and proper respirator fit and use.
The half facepiece respirator provides reliable day-to-day protection that effectively filters particulates and fumes. When facing more intense exposure to chemicals or high-risk environments, the full facepiece respirator offers full-coverage protection—including eye shielding—without compromising comfort or visibility.
To help prolong the life of your equipment and reduce contamination, respirator wipes are a fast, effective solution for cleaning masks between uses.
See all of our respiratory safety equipment to help your team breathe easier and stay compliant.
Touch: Cover hands, feet & head
Physical contact with workplace hazards is unavoidable in most industrial settings. Whether your team is handling jagged metal, working near heated equipment, or dealing with electrical systems and heavy machinery, the risk of injury through direct contact is always present. From electrical work in a maintenance bay to walking across slippery surfaces at an outdoor site, safeguarding hands, head, and feet is absolutely critical.
Start with hand protection: quality work gloves. Lawson’s protective gloves are engineered to defend against lacerations, chemical exposure, vibration damage, and thermal hazards, giving your workers the confidence to tackle demanding tasks safely.
For head safety, our impact-rated hard hats and protective accessories provide crucial defense against dropped tools and overhead dangers.
Proper footwear—including steel-toed boots, chemical-resistant options, and slip-resistant solutions—delivers the stability and protection your team needs across any work environment.
Sensory safety is vital
Neglecting even one sense on a job site can have long-term consequences for worker health, operational efficiency, compliance, and morale. A fully outfitted PPE program shows your team you care, and that they can trust their gear to perform under pressure.
Proper PPE only works if it’s available and maintained. From vendor-managed inventory services to customer service and online ordering, we ensure your safety stock is ready when and where you need it.
Looking to audit your PPE program or expand protection? Contact our team today and let’s build a safer, more resilient worksite together.