PPE Equipment - A Last Resort, Not A First Defence
For many people the idea of PPE equipment is to reduce the risk of accident or injury, and to protect the worker, employee or visitor from potential risks and harm. This view has led to a great deal of attention being given to the many ways in which PPE equipment can help achieve this, offering different types of protection and to a range of degrees.
However, it is important to not just think about how PPE equipment can help to protect people, and its many advantages, but to think about the reasons why PPE equipment should be considered as a last resort, not a first defence.
The trouble with safety equipment is that it can often give the wrong impression to both businesses and to those wearing the equipment. The impression people sometimes get when wearing safety clothing or protective equipment is that they are virtually invulnerable whilst wearing it, and the feeling is often one of being over protected, or at least adequately protected, against almost any risk. This can in turn lead to an over dependence on the safety equipment or clothing, at the risk of losing sight of the many other ways in which injuries, accidents and risks can be reduced.
In all working environments there will inevitably be times when PPE equipment is necessary, both from the point of view of protecting against the potential risks, and from the point of view of the law which requires businesses to provide employees with suitable PPE clothing and equipment. But simply providing someone with a pair of safety gloves for example is not the be all and end all of safety.
The gloves may offer protection, but it should always be considered as the very last resort, the last line of defence, and both the business and the worker need to think carefully about the many other ways in which safety can be increased and improved, and the potential risks significantly minimised.
Many accidents at work are the result of over reliance or over dependence on safety gear that should have offered the last line of defence, but which was being used as either the first or the only form of protection. In some cases, such as with the safety gloves, it may be that additional protection could be provided by having safety screens preventing fingers or hands from inadvertently being placed in a position of danger once the equipment is active.
It could also mean introducing safety measures such as beams of light and sensors which cut the machine off once broken, so that should a hand, arm or head be moved too close to the dangerous parts of the machine whilst it is active, the machine is immediately cut off. These are just two simple examples of how safety at work can be increased without relying on PPE equipment as the only form of safety.
The other trouble with safety equipment is that it is only ever as good as the state in which it is kept. High visibility jackets which are used in dusty, dirty environments will provide very little or no visible protection if not washed regularly and kept in good condition. Safety gloves which have become worn, or which have broken seams may not merely provide an inadequate level of safety, but may actually represent an additional risk themselves.
There always needs to be a sound understanding of how to analyse PPE equipment for faults, wear and tear, and an understanding of how to report this, and what to do if no suitable equipment is available. There is no doubt at all that modern PPE equipment offers an outstanding level of protection and makes a significant difference to overall safety levels at work. But it should always been considered to be what it is - the last level of defence.
Questions and Answers
Far from being merely advisable it is of course a legal obligation for employers to provide suitable PPE equipment for all employees, including permanent staff, temporary staff, contractors and even visitors in many cases. But when it comes to selecting the right PPE equipment it isn't always clear what employers need to do. PPE suppliers have a growing range of products, but a growing range means a growing problem for employers under increasing pressure to choose the right combination of soluti
Years ago PPE equipment was as simple and straightforward as ordering a hard hat for wearing on construction sites, purchasing thick leather gauntlets if you were working with any dangerous machinery or tools, or wearing high visibility yellow jackets when working outdoors. Today Personal Protective Equipment is a massive business, and there is now so much choice that it can often prove difficult for businesses and industries to be able to sort through the range of products available for the ite
Although a quick browse through any personal protective equipment catalogue from any of the UK's PPE suppliers will reveal an almost overwhelming variety of safety equipment available today, there are really just six main categories of PPE equipment which are covered by the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. It's important to appreciate what areas are covered by this regulatory document, as well as which areas aren't.
One of the biggest challenges facing PPE suppliers in the last few years has been offering advice to the many businesses in the UK faced with the increasing difficulty of choosing between the different types of personal protective equipment now available. Today there is a greater variety of PPE equipment than ever before, and whilst this is certainly a good thing, helping to increase security and safety, it has also been causing a problem.
Legislation, regulations and guidelines covering personal protective equipment makes it clear that there are five distinct issues which need to be considered when using such equipment. Simply passing on the PPE equipment to employees is not enough, either in practice or in the eyes of the law. The following five aspects of safety clothing and equipment should be kept in mind at all times.
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