Safety clothing and equipment are crucial in some workplaces to help keep people protected from certain hazards. It is the responsibility of the employers and workers to ensure that they use the correct safety clothing and equipment while working.
Apart from the protection that PPEs offer, they also help
companies reduce the risks of getting into trouble with the law. Some
workplaces are legally mandated to have PPEs. Given the pressure that comes
with owning personal protection equipment, the process of choosing the right
one can be very challenging. Below are some factors to consider.
Assess and Understand the Environment
The most important step is assessing
the hazards around the workplace so as to decide what the right PPE
is. You need to be open-minded and understand the effects of each hazard. This
process needs the collaboration of different people as this will make it easier
to identify these hazards and decide on the right safety clothing and equipment
to get for the company staff. It is important to include an independent
contributor who doesn’t work in the company so that he or she can provide an
unbiased solution.
Know the Right Gear
Before approaching a safety shop to get the PPE, you should be sure of what you need. The gear
that a person operating a chemical plant needs differs from that of a
construction worker. Hazard assessment will help you determine the kind of PPE
you need according to the risks involved. After determining the threats that
workers are faced with in their day-to-day activities, you will be in a
position to get them the right gear. Some of these threats include impact
injuries, sharp objects, extreme temperatures, biological threats, dust, and
radiation. When picking the PPE, do so while keeping in mind the risks you
identified during the assessment phase.
Training
Once you have picked out the right gear and equipment, the
next step should be to train your employees on how to use it.
Training begins with the employer making sure that his workers understand what
kind of safety clothing and equipment they need and when they require it. The
process should include how to put on, remove and adjust the gear and equipment.
It is the perfect time to confirm the sizes. The right size is normally
determined by the type of the job, size of the wearer, and whether there is a
need for the employee to wear more protective clothes under the gear. Wearing
the gear is not enough. Your workers should simulate their work activities to
see how well it fits, which should be perfect. It should not fit too loose or
snugly.
Training should also include the PPE limitation, useful
life, maintenance, and care and disposal. For example, those working in chemical
processing plants should be trained on the proper method to safely dispose of
the PPE. This is because exposed clothing is also a hazard.
Go for Quality and Durability
The material and design type of the safety clothing will
determine its durability. If you buy a helmet that has been made from the
cheapest plastic, it will not serve you for more than a couple of weeks. Go for
gear that will serve the worker for a long time. Some of these PPEs come with
information tags, detailing how long they can last. Do not forget that their
durability will be affected by the environment where they get used. Go through
the warranty that the manufacturer offers to determine the issues it covers.
As for quality, never compromise it for a lower price tag.
Always go for the highest quality and choose products that have met the
specified standards. For example, getting your workers footwear made from a
cheap material will not prevent the risk of static discharge, which can cause
injuries. Ensure the manufacturer has used the finest material and quality
build for safety clothing and equipment.
If you follow the above steps, you will keep all your
workers protected and make the workplace safe