The two main safety concerns you should be aware of when changing your car battery are electrical charges and battery acid.
To avoid sparks or shocks when replacing your battery, make sure to pay attention to where you place the cables. Once you disconnect the terminals, make sure you don’t put them in contact with any bare metal. And make sure you reconnect the terminals to the correct battery post.
You will want to examine your battery before you start and again when you are pulling it out from the tray. If there is any obvious damage or leakage, you may want to take your car to a mechanic as battery acid is highly caustic.
Though rubber gloves and safety glasses aren’t entirely necessary, they do add a protective layer between you and any battery acid or other irritants you might not be able to see. We’d recommend using them just to be safe.