fitting equipment can be as much of a health and safety concern as none at all.
• Accountability and logging - in storeroom facilities, it can be difficult to monitor the quantity of equipment an employee has direct access to and equally a log on what they should and shouldn’t be using day-to-day.
When you consider these factors it’s easy to see how the provision of PPE can be a financial burden on a company, particularly when employees use the stores facility regularly for lost or forgotten items. The problem is then compounded if a poor or, worse still, no auditing system is in place, as there is little chance of documenting compliance.
ANOTHER SOLUTION There is however one potential solution in the form of a new technology offering - the PPE vending machine. Vending machines per se are not a new technology but, with
the ability to have access control via devices such as a dedicated employee swipe card or key fobs, it is possible to ensure all employees are wearing the correct PPE and that each and every dispense is recorded for greater accountability.
Where the technology really comes into its own, is the ability to tailor an individual’s access to ensure they can only withdraw the PPE that is suitable to their job and therefore avoid the risk of equipment not being strong enough or designed for the role in hand.
Similarly, electronic access offers a traceable record of how often employees collect PPE, making it easy to monitor those who make numerous dispenses and those not updating it as regularly as they should.
Considering another employee barrier to engagement – the location of the stores facility - vending machines can also offer a solution here. Employers have greater flexibility in terms of where they can
place the machine, ensuring it is in the line of sight of employees on their way in and out of the workplace, encouraging engagement and ultimately compliance.
“BY USING VENDING MACHINES IT IS POSSIBLE TO
ENSURE EMPLOYEES ARE WEARING THE CORRECT PPE AND THAT
EACH DISPENSE IS RECORDED.”
Another further advantage for companies seeing a high turnover of PPE equipment, is to enforce an authorisation level, for some of the more costly pieces of kit. This measure can help to keep costs down as it means equipment can only be replaced for genuine reasons such as wear and tear, rather than because equipment is lost on a day-to-day basis.
Needless to say the core responsibility of employers is to provide the right equipment to the right individuals and speed is an important consideration. Where companies can offer quick and easy distribution of the full range of PPE equipment, in a convenient location, they will also increase the take-up of PPE equipment. However the benefits don’t stop there - for employers, it is also possible to reduce the cost of providing PPE equipment, through much closer control and accurate, automated record-keeping.
While the right equipment for the job must be the first and most important step, it should not be the only factor when considering PPE distribution in the workplace. With so much to offer, vending machines can provide a valuable alternative for businesses, carefully balancing health and safety requirements, compliance and potential cost savings, in one.
www.eriks.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com Personal Protection 2016 | 21
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