Best Safety Gear for Gravel Work

The four essentials

Cut-resistant gloves

Angular crushed stone abrades ordinary gloves in an afternoon and the edges will slice skin. Look for ANSI A4 or higher cut ratings, or heavy leather. Coated palms help with grip on wet stone.

Safety glasses

Stone chips fly when you tip a barrow, run a compactor, or cut anything. Wraparound with side protection, and anti-fog if you are working hard. Cheap and non-negotiable.

Respirator or N95

This is the one people skip and should not. Crushed stone contains crystalline silica, and dry crusher run throws a lot of fine dust — particularly under a plate compactor. Silica exposure is a long-term lung hazard, not an irritation.

An N95 is the practical minimum for occasional homeowner use. Damping the material lightly before working it reduces airborne dust more than any mask does. For sustained cutting work, a half-face respirator with P100 cartridges is the right tool.

Knee pads

Laying fabric, setting edging, and screeding a base all happen at ground level, and that ground is sharp stone. Gel or foam pads with a hard cap.

Worth adding

• Hearing protection — a plate compactor runs around 100 dB, comfortably above the level that damages hearing over a day.
• Steel-toe boots — for anyone near a tipping barrow or a delivery truck.
• Hi-vis vest — if a dump truck is manoeuvring on site.
• Back support belt — moving several tons by hand is exactly the load that injures backs.

The dust rule worth remembering

Wet it down. Lightly damping crusher run before you spread and compact it cuts airborne silica dramatically, and it also helps the fines bind during compaction. It is the rare safety measure that improves the work at the same time.