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Having just delivered two personal protective equipment (PPE) awareness training sessions, I'm often surprised just how little information the actual wearers of the equipment know. The huge range of choice can be very confusing when confronted with three very similar pieces of kit yet it is vital that when different types are on offer employees know how to tell which is which and their uses and limitations.
In the majority of organisations, a competent person has kindly undertaken a risk assessment, thoughtfully and carefully selected the equipment on the employee's behalf to ensure it is appropriate for the risk (maybe after guidance from an ARCO or manufacturer's representative) and then purchased the item. Prior to anyone wearing this particular item of PPE there is a requirement to provide training that is adequate and appropriate to the risks, in particular on the uses and just as important, the limitations of the protective equipment. Even more relevant in today's multi-cultural society is the requirement to ensure it is comprehensible to the person to whom it is provided.
For safety professionals and self-confessed PPE anoraks like myself, the differences between one type and another are there for all to see.
A simple face-shield may not appear too complicated at first glance. Now put two of them together, both approved to EN166 from the same manufacturer and they are identical to the (as yet!) naked eye, albeit for an extremely small piece of text. Only with a very keen eye, the knowledge of what to look for and the BS EN 166 markings chart to decipher it, can the difference be spotted and appreciated, one being marked 1F and the other 1B.
Should our wearer unwittingly choose 1F then be unfortunate enough to suffer the event of an abrasive wheel shattering, the apparently minor difference could have dire consequences for the wearer.
Similarly, many of the new generation 'grip' gloves look identical; a knitted glove with a coloured coating and some small numbers on the back. Glove training probably won't appear high on the agenda of many businesses but unless employees using knives or handling sharp objects know the very real difference between a 4-1-2-1 rated glove and 3-4-3-4, they may be left counting the cost with one less finger on which to do it.
As with many things in today's society, the small print can make a big difference. Are you satisfied the people at the sharp-end have been provided with enough information and training to stay safe - and they have understood it?
Labels: Safety
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