A lot of tradespeople refuse or ignore PPE. It's mostly macho men, the kind who don't go to the doctor, and smoke and believe it won't cause them cancer. Another fact: scant few men who work outside wear sunscreen. There were multiple generations of these kind of people on my mom's side of the family, and they inevitably died prematurely of preventable conditions.
A modern example: I've seen gravestone engravers completely covered in stone dust while wearing only a thin handkerchief; no hearing, eye, or proper lung protection. Sure they should know the risks but you can't force people to not smoke tobacco or use proper PPE.
During the peak of covid, the NY Times made a video showing hospital workers loading dead bodies into the refrigerated trucks that served as expanded morgues for Brooklyn Hospital Center (by Fort Greene). Online skeptics pointed out that it must be crisis actors, for one of the workers was wearing his mask below his nose. Only thing I could think of was "have you never been to a jobsite?" I got called a pussy for wanting eye protection from the guy welding 15 feet from me.
Always look out for #1 because it is unlikely no one else will.
If that means steel-toed shoes, a jock cup, thick gloves, shooting glasses, amplifying mickey mouse muffs, sunscreen, bottled water, and a P100 respirator, so be it.
Safety regs are written in blood. And it only takes an instant or a culture of disregard to lead to later cancer, permanent disfigurement, or death. There are no old bold pilots or construction workers.
A modern example: I've seen gravestone engravers completely covered in stone dust while wearing only a thin handkerchief; no hearing, eye, or proper lung protection. Sure they should know the risks but you can't force people to not smoke tobacco or use proper PPE.