N95 disposable mask
The one item never to skip. Fibres and settled dust are the hazard you cannot see working.
Shop the kit · Safety gear
Protection you will actually keep on
Loose fibres, decades of settled dust and whatever the last owner left up there are a real respiratory hazard, and the gear only works if it is comfortable enough that you do not take it off an hour in. Respiratory and eye protection are not optional on any of these jobs.
- 10 job-ready items
- No fake prices
- Retailer choices
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What the gear is actually for
- Step 1
Keep fibre out of your lungs
An N95 is the floor. A half-mask seals better and you can wear it longer.
- Step 2
Keep it sealed
Open-sided glasses and a loose mask protect nothing when the dust comes from above.
- Step 3
Keep it wearable
Knee pads and a bump cap are why the second half of the job goes as well as the first.
Start with these 4
See everything →The four nobody should start a job without. The rest make a long day bearable.
Sealed safety goggles
Sealed, not open-sided. Loose fibre falls from directly above you the whole time.
Work gloves
Fibreglass in your hands is miserable for days, and you will be handling joists and nails.
Half-mask respirator
Seals better than a disposable and takes cartridges. Worth it the moment the job runs past an hour.
Respiratory protection
The non-negotiable part. Everything else is comfort by comparison.
P100 replacement cartridges
Cartridges load up and stop filtering, and a half-mask with spent cartridges is a false sense of safety. Buy a spare pair with the mask rather than after.
- Respiratory
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Eyes and skin
Disposable coveralls
Fiberglass in clothing is genuinely unpleasant and survives a wash. Hooded, with elasticated cuffs, is the version worth buying.
- Skin
Disposable gloves
For sealant and foam, which do not come off skin easily once cured.
- Skin
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Hearing, head and comfort
What decides whether you finish the job today or come back to it.
Hearing protection
An insulation blower running in an enclosed attic is loud enough to matter over a full day.
- Hearing
Knee pads
Hours spent kneeling on joists or a crawl space floor. Cheap, and the difference between finishing the job and stopping early.
- Comfort & impact
Bump cap
Attics and crawl spaces are full of roofing nails at head height. Lighter than a hard hat and you will actually keep it on, which is the whole point.
- Comfort & impact
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