To protect and serve 01 August 2012

Personal protective equipment is clearly a must in all sorts of plant and factory environments, yet problems with adoption are still reported. Brian Wall advises that PPE needs to be carefully monitored and regulated

With personal protective equipment (PPE), the obligations are surely clear? Employers are responsible for providing, replacing and paying for whatever is required to keep safe those who are working in environments that are potentially hazardous. Equally, they are responsible for educating and training wearers and ensuring that PPE provided is appropriate and realistic to the task – while workers are responsible for wearing it.

On which note, the HSE makes a telling point: PPE should only be used once all other measures to control exposure have proved inadequate. Clearly, exhausting other work methods and options has to be the starting point for plant engineers and their managers. But, thereafter, it's about ensuring that all PPE judged necessary, following a risk assessment, is readily available and fit for purpose – and that workers understand that its use is not optional.

And the latter is a serious point. HSE reminds plant managers, engineers and technicians that PPE "protects only the wearer while being worn", and that, if it fails, "PPE offers no protection at all", exposing said wearer to danger. In other words, it's all very well providing the correct and full range of equipment but, if it isn't worn, or if it is partially open or removed while engineers or technicians are in the hazardous area, it's of very little value.

That said, the range of PPE likely to be needed in a typical plant environment can be wide – from respirators to protective gloves, clothing and footwear, as well as eye protection. The precise equipment you require in any of these categories needs careful consideration. HSE advising that suppliers, trade associations and manufacturers should be asked the following: is it suitable for the conditions of the job; does it offer the right level of protection; what sort of training and maintenance is required; and how do I know when it needs replacing?

Also, says the HSE: "It is important that employees know why they need PPE and are trained to use it correctly. Otherwise it is unlikely to protect as required." On that basis, other questions that also need to be posed include: does it fit correctly; how does the wearer feel; is it comfortable; are all items of PPE compatible; does the PPE interfere with the job being done; and does PPE introduce another, unintended health risk – for example, overheating or potential entanglement with machinery?
If there is one key message to take away here, it is that it's one thing to identify exactly what PPE your workforce needs, but quite another getting them to put it on – and keep it on. So make sure they are kitted out properly and comfortably, and that they understand why they are wearing it and the risks to which they expose themselves and others if they do not.

The right stuff
Purchasing the right personal protective equipment (PPE) is a big responsibility. Safety equipment that doesn't perform properly isn't just inconvenient – it may actually cost lives.
"Supplying a fake watch may be illegal, but it is unlikely to be life threatening," points out David Lummis, chief executive at the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF). "Supplying illegal or non-conforming PPE, however, could mean the difference between life and death."

The BSIF set up its Registered Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS) to help ensure that compliant and correct safety equipment is supplied to end users. "The scheme's shield acts as a signpost so that people know they are buying from a reputable company."

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
With recent estimates suggesting that around 4,000 deaths every year are due to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), resulting from past workplace exposure, effective respiratory protection is clearly essential.
"New developments in respiratory protective equipment (RPE) are having a positive impact on the effectiveness of RPE programmes, as companies have to adapt to keep up to date with the latest technologies and changes to the regulations," states Mark Andrews, product manager of Air Purified at Scott Safety.

"RPE manufacturers have developed a new generation of products that have introduced smart features to improve the effectiveness of respiratory protection and these are streamlining RPE programmes," he adds.
Its Spirit Powered Air Respirator, for example, operates with either particle or combined particle and gas filters, and with an updated range of head-tops to offer protection in a wide range of hazardous environments.

Brian Wall

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