For stick welding (ideally any welding process, but particularly any process that uses flux rather than gas shielding), another absolute requirement is one folks often forget: safety glasses. I'm talking in addition to a welding hood, here. Typically, you run a bead with a stick electrode, then open the hood, and chip the slag off with the chipping hammer/brush, brush the loose slag off, then drop your hood and run another bead. Thing is, the slag is also cooling from about 3200 degrees, and it can pop off unexpectedly. You definitely don't want the equivalent of 2000 degree glass to hit you in the eye, so wear good shatter-resistant safety glasses underneath your welding hood!
Dave