The summer is the best time for construction projects but it’s also holiday time – and nurseries and schools often close for several weeks at a time for their summer break. Conversely, this means that parents who are building a new house, renovating an existing one or working on a major DIY project have to look after their children all day. But how can children be kept safe when they’re with their parents on the construction site? In this blog post, read about protective equipment for children that will take them through the summer of construction, as well as gardening and other summer leisure activities.
A fascination with construction
There’s no doubt that construction sites are very exciting places for kids, not least because there are many different tools and machines to see! Who hasn’t excitedly watched cranes and excavators at work when they were a child? And even if it’s just a small construction site that doesn’t require such large equipment – for example, if a new summer house is being built or a new path or small pond being created – it’s still extremely fascinating to watch something new coming into being, a large excavation pit being dug, walls getting higher brick by brick, and so on.
And, of course, children will automatically be interested if the construction site is actually in their own home. Many love pretending to be builders and playing with building blocks and toys to build imaginative structures. When they see real tools being used on a real construction site, they naturally want to get in on the action.
But children don’t just want to watch their parents at work, they also want to give them a hand! If they’re allowed to take on certain tasks, this not only helps prevent boredom during the holidays, but also provides a significant boost to their confidence. It also lays the foundations for an interest in acquiring craft skills and technical understanding when they are older, something children can benefit from later in life.
Doing it safely: working on family projects with children
A building project can be a great opportunity for parents to work on an exciting project together with their children. For children to feel a sense of achievement and pride, the tasks they take on should be age appropriate. For example, smaller children whose motor skills aren’t that well developed yet shouldn’t use tools that they could hurt themselves with. On the other hand, an older child can successfully hammer in a nail with a hammer or saw a piece of wood to size, sand it down, etc., all under supervision of course.
Tip: There are no general age limits for when and to what extent children can play at being builders on a construction site or on another DIY project that can be carried out in the hobby room, for example. Parents should therefore trust their own judgement as to what their children will be able to do without any problems and assign them small “jobs” accordingly.
Safety always comes first. That’s why children should never be left unsupervised when they are on a construction site. After all, this isn’t primarily a place for playing and learning, but somewhere where there are plenty of sources of danger. Especially when critical work that is potentially very dangerous for everyone and not just for children is being carried out, great care should be taken to ensure that children keep a sufficiently safe distance from it. Children should also be kept away from unsecured building edges at all times.
In addition, protective equipment for children is an important component that – just like protective clothing for adults – helps to protect particularly exposed body parts such as hands or knees from injury. Special reinforcements incorporated into garments such as trousers or tops prevent worse injuries in the event of contact with pointed or sharp objects (which are often present on construction sites).
Just as with regular protective clothing worn in the trades and industry, it’s very important that personal protective equipment worn during leisure time fits correctly. Only when protectors are worn correctly can they provide their full protective effect. That’s why children should be given protective clothing in their size – and not wear their dad’s protective gloves, which will be much too big for them, for example. It’s true that children love to dress up as adults. But especially with personal protective equipment, it’s important to make sure that it really fits them.
Protective equipment for children: safety gloves for children
Parents should therefore keep an eye out for protective clothing in smaller sizes, for example safety gloves for little hands that want to help. We recommend the uvex phynomic XG kids gloves. They are available from hand size 3. This corresponds to a hand circumference of 144 millimetres and a length of 118 millimetres. Hand size 4 with dimensions of 156 and 133 millimetres is also available for older children. The sturdy and abrasion-resistant gloves are a perfect all-rounder and offer mechanical protection when carrying out work that requires dexterity. They are coated with aqua-polymer Xtra-Grip foam, which ensures a secure grip even on slippery or oily surfaces.
Just like grown-ups, children are more likely to actually wear safety gloves that feel pleasant against the skin. The hands shouldn’t sweat, and the gloves should restrict mobility as little as possible. The uvex phynomic XG kids, for example, guarantee both these things. They meet the requirements of the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and skin compatibility even after prolonged wear has been dermatologically confirmed by the proDERM Institute for Applied Dermatological Research. This ensures all-round protection for children’s hands during manual work.
Sturdy work trousers for healthy knees – protective equipment for children
For working on the ground, professionals swear by work trousers with reinforced knees. This not only protects the skin in the knee area from unpleasant abrasions, but also makes the trousers themselves much more durable. This is also a great advantage for children’s clothing, as children like to slide around on their knees when playing indoors and outdoors. However, normal trousers usually don’t survive unscathed for very long when treated like this. With knee-reinforced work trousers like the uvex tune-up for children, parents can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, because they are also great for trips to the playground etc.
Already popular with craftspeople, these trousers are now available in a children’s version for girls and boys and offer the same features as the original, including the CORDURA® inserts on the knees and the practical side and back pockets. These are also reinforced on the inside with the extremely robust material, which makes the inner lining of the pocket very durable – no matter what is put in them. In addition, special tool loops are attached to the pockets, so that all the tools children need for their own little craft projects are always at hand. Children love to dress the same as their parents – it makes working with them even more fun, too!
Adults also appreciate the comfort of these work trousers with knee reinforcement. The material mix with 35 per cent cotton and the integrated ventilation slits prevent heat build-up on the skin – even in warm temperatures or during sweaty activities. Because they are also smartly cut, many people also like to wear them even when they’re not doing DIY – and children will always be properly dressed for their exciting adventures.
Protective equipment for children: Protection for children’s sensitive ears
Sometimes it can get really loud on a construction site, for example when the circular saw or the jackhammer are being used. However, children’s hearing is particularly sensitive and can be severely damaged by prolonged exposure to loud noise. Parents should therefore make sure that their children have high-quality hearing protection. And the same applies here: it must fit the child properly to ensure the full protective effect.
That’s why hearing protection for adults is only suitable for children to a very limited extent. For example, earplugs that have to be inserted into the ear canal should not be used at all. The earplugs are simply too large for children’s ear canals and it’s difficult to check from the outside whether the hearing protection is being worn correctly. Over-ear protective products that are specially designed for children’s head widths are therefore more useful.
For example, the uvex k junior earmuffs are suitable for children aged three to twelve. The length of the headband can be individually adjusted to the shape of the child’s head, and thanks to the soft padding and low weight of just 167 grams, it won’t feel uncomfortable even when worn for longer periods. The thick ear pads absorb up to 29 decibels of sound. And when the building project at home is finished, the earmuffs, which are available in four great colours, can also be used at music events for example, and look cool to boot.
Quality features of protective clothing for children
The selection of protective clothing in children’s sizes is constantly growing. However, this also makes it harder to choose the right clothing for your children. The protective products your children need depends on what they will be used for. For example, small construction site helmets, safety shoes, protective goggles and much more are also recommended purchases.
In addition, parents should pay particular attention to the following points when buying protective products for their children in general:
- Protective properties: Does personal protective equipment for children offer as good or even better protective properties than that for adults?
- Harmful substances: Is the protective clothing for children labelled with appropriate textile quality marks?
- Wearer comfort: Do the children feel comfortable in the protective clothing?
- Suitability for everyday use: Can the protective clothing also be used in the playground etc.?
For both kids and grown-ups, with the right equipment, nothing will stand in the way of a successful and safe summer of construction. That’s why adults should set a good example for their children and always remember to wear their protective clothing properly.
Maybe you’d like to tell us about the projects you’re currently working on or are planning to carry out that actively involve your children? We look forward to reading your comments!
Do you need information on which uvex safety products are available in children’s sizes? The uvex service team is on hand to advise you. You can find out which PPE is right for you as an adult for working on construction projects at home or in the garden in our article “Protective clothing for gardening and landscaping – PPE for the spring”.