Picking the best PPE to keep your workers safe can be a lot of work, but it also can be one of the most beneficial. Repeating the process may be tiresome for the program. But there are many important reasons to schedule a periodic review of the safety gear you’re using. It can keep your workers safer and more compliant and might even improve your safety program as a whole.
Safety always comes first, so it’s important to review the PPE you’re using to see whether there’s something that might protect even better. New innovations, improved technologies, and unique materials hit the market every year.
Innovations in Worker Comfort
Innovations in comfort is just as important as safety developments to protect your people. Review your applications and ask your employees whether they have hand fatigue at the end of the day or whether they find that their PPE tends to trap moisture or heat. Advances in materials and construction keep workers more comfortable and more compliant than ever before through:
- mesh constructions and special venting that let heat and moisture dissipate
- lighter cut-resistant materials that create gloves with incredible dexterity and flexibility to avoid hand-fatigue
- coreless material infused with strength-enhancing micro-particles that allow workers with sensitive skin to avoid contact dermatitis
- impact gloves with better dexterity and movement
- low-profile impact gloves for lighter-duty jobs that require more flexibility
Storage for PPE
Adequate storage facilities for PPE must be made available for when it is not in use, unless the employee may take PPE away from the workplace, e.g., footwear or clothing. All PPE must be stored in a clean and sanitary condition ready for use. Accommodation may be simple, e.g., pegs for waterproof clothing or safety helmets, and it need not be fixed, e.g., a case for safety glasses, a container in a vehicle, or zip-lock bags on a designated shelf. Storage should be adequate to protect the PPE from contamination, loss, damage, water or sunlight. Proper storage often requires a dry and clean place that is not subject to temperature extremes.
Duties of employees regarding PPE
Employees must take reasonable steps to ensure that PPE provided is properly used. For example:
- PPE must be worn and used in accordance with the instructions provided;
- Employees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that PPE is returned to proper storage after it has been used (unless the employee may take PPE away from the workplace e.g. footwear or clothing);
- PPE must be examined before use;
- Any loss or obvious defect must be immediately reported to their supervisor; and
- Employees must take reasonable care of any PPE provided to them and not carry out any maintenance unless trained and authorized.
Workers’ Changing Needs
It’s important to review your PPE choices to be sure you’re providing everything your workers and aging workforce needs. These may include:
- prescription safety eyewear for workers who used to wear regular safety glasses but now need a little help with close or distant vision
- PPE with better dexterity and flexibility to reduce fatigue
- headsets to improve noise attenuation and sound quality in loud environments
If you review your PPE choices and find that everything you’re using is still a perfect fit, you’ve probably at least learned something from the extra check-in with your workers. But if you find that there’s an issue you missed or some way you can do things better, you may have avoided an accident or injury. If you don’t feel you have the time, consult a safety expert who can perform a thorough safety assessment.
Protection and safety of employees is important to an organization. Review your PPE to maximize your workers’ safety!
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