PROTECTIVE CLOTHING & WORKWEAR BEST FOOT FORWARD Simon Ash, UK Sales Manager at HAIX, discusses how complacent


attitudes towards PPE can be detrimental to the safety of the individual, and the entire company.


When it comes to PPE, you, the employer, have a legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of your employees at work and provide suitable PPE to the entire workforce. Employers must do more than just have the equipment on the premises, but make sure it is readily available, properly assessed before use and it fit for purpose, properly maintained and used correctly by employees. There’s no room for improvisation or negligence. Failure to supply appropriate PPE or make sure it is being used by your workforce makes you liable to substantial fines and prosecution.


But then what happens if you provide all the PPE you need to and a worker chooses not to wear it? A complacent attitude towards PPE is not only frustrating after you’ve gone through the effort of sourcing and purchasing the best for your employees, but jeopardises the worker’s personal safety and the safety of others around him or her. In the end, the ultimate legal responsibility is yours and there could be serious consequences if an accident occurred and your employee was injured.


PPE – IT’S NOT RED TAPE Communicating and making sure your employees understand and appreciate the importance of wearing their PPE can be a challenge.


PPE may be considered a hindrance by some workers, with this feeling clouding their better judgement. Views of PPE as ‘uncool’ and peer pressure about wearing safety gear could prevail and become disruptive. If workers don’t understand why they need to wear PPE, or don’t have any say in choosing it they are more likely to refuse to use it. Protective equipment, safety boots for instance, is something we expect workers to wear every day so it’s only natural that problems may arise if what’s provided to them is uncomfortable, not the right size, or cumbersome and unattractive. Wearer acceptance is the biggest hurdle to overcome in devising an effective PPE programme.


The first step in avoiding an unhappy workforce is by choosing the right equipment from the start and by taking into account your workers’ personal preferences. Ask your workers about their current PPE, what it is


they like and don’t like about it and show them the options you are thinking of purchasing. Having this conversation and giving them a choice will make them more likely to want to wear it, and will also give them a sense of empowerment in that they’ve contributed to the process.


Demonstrating the real, positive impact that PPE has and encouraging an open conversation should drive a positive change in culture, allowing your workforce to understand how PPE, selected with them in mind, can help them to be more productive and safer at work.


EDUCATING ABOUT FOOT SAFETY Of all the PPE, footwear may not seem as critical to workplace safety. However, slips and trips are common causes of injury at work, on average causing over a third of all major injuries, according to the HSE. The concern is about individuals heading to work in non- specialist footwear or fashion trainers, compromising their safety.


Foot and leg protection protect against a wide range of dangers, including crushing, slipping, chemical exposure and electrical hazards. Depending on the risk, various PPE options with specific safety features may be more suitable, for example; high quality protective footwear with S3 protection that defends against midsole penetration resistance, which also provides posture support and boasts high levels of comfort, is ideal for industrial working conditions.


Similarly, for a high level of safety required for those working in forestry, safety boots with chainsaw cut class protection and excellent durable and waterproof features is needed. There is no one shoe fits all rule – footwear needs are different specific to the industry, working environment and the role of the worker. It is critical that footwear is purchased with the wearer in mind, or better yet with their contribution.


www.haix.co.uk


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www.tomorrowshs.com


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