Just because protective gear wasn’t used in the past doesn’t make it unnecessary. Ear plugs and other hearing protection aren’t so much to prevent tinnitus as to prevent hearing loss. Safety shoes, especially with the instep guard, may be heavy but they help prevent injuries. A helmet protects much better than a cloth cap, and safety glasses are always a good idea. I also remember a safety meeting at one of my summer jobs, and BOTH the foreman and union steward were pretty insistent that everybody, especially the summer help was paying attention.