What basic personal protective equipment (PPE) should a technician wear when handling batteries?

When handling batteries, particularly those containing corrosive materials like sulfuric acid in lead-acid batteries, it is crucial to wear splash-proof goggles and rubber gloves. Splash-proof goggles protect the eyes from any potential splashes of battery acid or other hazardous materials, which can cause severe injury. Rubber gloves serve to protect the skin from contact with harmful substances, offering a barrier against chemical exposure that could occur during handling or maintenance.

Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is fundamental to ensuring safety while working with batteries. Though other choices may include items that provide some level of protection, they do not encompass the critical measures needed to safeguard against the specific hazards presented by batteries. For instance, while hard hats and steel-toed boots are essential in other contexts within aerospace environments, they do not address the chemical hazards associated directly with battery handling. Similarly, regular glasses, cotton gloves, or only a face mask do not provide the adequate chemical resistance required, thus failing to protect the technician effectively in such situations.