The practical function of protective clothing is to protect the person from dangers of the workplace and environment. Examples are protection from extreme heat or cold, infections, electrical hazards, noxious chemicals, contact with abrasive surfaces and other hazards. In some cases clothing protects the environment from the clothing wearer as well e.g. medical scrubs or disposable gloves used by surgeons and dentists.
Safety equipment encompasses a large variety of active or passive equipment designed to prevent accidents and harm, mitigate the effects of accident or assist in the escape from harm. Safety equipment can protect many people or large areas e.g. fire alarms and sprinkler systems or can protect an individual such as eye protection, high visibility clothing, helmets, gloves etc. Equipment such as sack trolleys and ladders assist a worker in his task thereby reducing risk. Both personal and general safety equipment form a key part of an organisations risk reduction strategy.