In hazardous and challenging working conditions, wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is of the utmost importance. For those who don’t yet know what PPE is, essentially it is just equipment that protects the wearer from health and safety risks – whether that is high visibility garments improving visibility, heavy-duty boots protecting from blunt force or visors shielding from gases and vapours.
Even after carrying out the appropriate health and safety checks and isolating employees from hazards in the workplace, risks still present themselves and therefore this is why PPE is required to make the working environment as safe as possible. PPE plays a key part in the safety and success of any business, making it paramount that both employers and employees alike understand the importance of it.
Today we will be taking a look at understanding which PPE should be worn when carrying out industry related tasks, the training that needs to be administered to employees before they wear protective workwear and the different types of PPE – from safety gloves to overalls – which can be used.
Understanding The Personal Protective Equipment You Should Use
The first step in making the workplace as safe as possible through PPE is to understand the equipment that is most suited to your role within the business and the industry tasks you carry out. For example, the personal protective equipment worn by a construction worker will massively differ from that of a tree surgeon. It is therefore important that suitable safety equipment is carefully chosen so that employees are protected from whatever they may face throughout the working day.
If you don’t know what PPE you should be wearing at work, then ask yourself three simple questions.
• What am I exposed to?
• How long am I exposed to this danger?
• What part of my body is exposed to this danger?
Once you’ve asked and answered these questions you should start to gain a better understanding as to what risks you face and as a result, what personal protective equipment you should be wearing to protect yourself, instead of having your risks get bigger.
You should always make sure that the PPE you are wearing doesn’t limit your ability to carry out tasks, distract you or restrict you from taking advantage of another piece of safety equipment.
Personal Protective Equipment Training
Both employers and employees should be properly and professionally trained on how and when to make use of PPE, as well as how to store such equipment so that it is kept in good condition. As an employer you have a number of responsibilities when it comes to PPE in the workplace – some of these include:
• Providing facilities for PPE to be stored in
• Regularly checking equipment for wear and tear
• Sourcing your CE marked PPE from a reputable supplier
• Providing different sizes of PPE to suit all employees
• Providing PPE free of charge to all employees
The Different Types Of Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment needs to be able to protect the wearer from all different hazards – ranging from chemical burns to blunt force trauma - and therefore many forms of protective equipment must be utilised within working environments. Some types of PPE include:
• Head protection – such as safety helmets and bump caps
• Eye and face protection – such as goggles, visors, face shields and safety spectacles
• Ear protection – such as earmuffs and earplugs
• Hand protection – such as waterproof and safety gloves
• Foot protection – such as safety boots and shoes featuring toe and midsole protection
• Body protection – such as overalls, chemical suits and boiler suits
Industrial Applications
Let's say that you work in an industrial or construction work setting. Maybe you work here at Durham Instruments products that measure and services that measure up. Perhaps you work with NorthernMat.ca or http://filtervac.com/rentals/ which can be physically involved and potentially risky work. Even with these exceptional machines and devices at your disposal, you still need to wear the right personal protective equipment to be on the safe side. It's imperative for the healthy of you, your employees, your customers, your vendors, and your business.
Personal Protection Conclusion
It is vital that all the appropriate measures are taken to make the workplace as safe as possible, and that includes introducing the correct PPE for all employees to take advantage of.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about personal protective equipment for health and safety in the workplace.
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