What personal protective equipment is required when performing rigging tasks aloft?

• A. Helmet and life jacket
• B. Life jacket only
• C. Gloves only
• D. No PPE required

Answer: (A)

When rigging tasks are done aloft, you face two primary hazards: head injuries from falling objects or contact with structures, and drowning risk if you end up in the water. A helmet protects the head from impact and injuries caused by tools, lines, or hitting hard surfaces. A life jacket provides buoyancy, helping you stay afloat and easier to spot or rescue if you fall overboard. Taken together, they address both major hazards you’re exposed to up there.

Gloves alone don’t protect the head and won’t help if you fall into the water, a life jacket alone leaves you unprotected for head injuries, and performing without any PPE is unsafe. In practice, additional gear like a harness may be used, but the minimum depicted here for aloft rigging is helmet plus life jacket.