Which personal protective equipment is typically used for fall protection?

The full body harness is specifically designed for fall protection, making it the correct answer to this question. This type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn to distribute the forces experienced during a fall over the entire body, significantly reducing the risk of injury. The harness is typically connected to a lanyard or lifeline, which secures the worker to a fixed anchor point, allowing for safe movement at heights.

In contrast, while steel-toed boots, hard hats, and safety gloves are important types of PPE for various hazards in construction and maintenance environments, none of them provide the specialized protection needed for falls. Steel-toed boots offer protection for the feet, hard hats protect the head from falling objects, and safety gloves are designed to protect the hands during manual tasks. However, they do not address the risk of falling from heights, which is the primary concern where a full body harness is necessary.