Personal Protection

[Mortblanc]

Besides being a professor I have also owned and worked farms for most of my life. I have developed a set of gear based mostly on what I have been through working the farm, handling livestock, remodeling buildings, hunting, camping, hobby work and just getting by.

I wear eye glasses. For three decades I have insisted that my eyewear be make to safety glasses specs due to the assortment of hobbies I pursue that involve hot metal, springs launched into the air and occasional flash and boom incidents.

In that past decade I have also adopted the constant wearing of leather gloves modified to my needs by cutting out the thumb and index fingers but retaining protection for the rest of the hand. They are constantly used for all outdoor activities. I keep three of four sets in each vehicle, and they are scattered around on the door-side tables for pick up as I walk out the door.

I am also bald as a door-knob. This mandates that I wear some kind of hat or cap just to protect my exposed scalp from laceration, scuffing or sunburn. I wear a hat to walk to the post box and often realize that I am wearing it as is sit here at the computer after returning indoors. In fact, I have a rack of hats which I view not as a fashion statement, but as protective gear.

I also have OSHA approved construction helmets and steel toed boots, neither of which I use very often. I have fiberglass knee pads that I have grown very appreciative of in the past few years. I use them for construction and gardening but I would have given a hundred pounds to have had some while I was in the Army. Patrolling is hell on the knees.

I have a couple of gas masks too but we will not go there.

I do not go for the super heavy duty pants made from waxed burlap or some other nonsense just due to the chafing issues they present, good quality jeans will do fine, but I do like the Carhart treated canvas jackets due to their warmth and waterproof capabilities.

And with the southern US summer upon me I find that all this personal protection will do me no good if I die of heat stroke while wearing it. Cut off jeans, tee shirt, sneakers and baseball cap are about the limit with the temps at 35c.