FEATURE PPE


SOURCE PPE THROUGH LEGITIMATE CHANNELS


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surge in demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis has increased the prevalence of non-compliant, uncertified,


and potentially ineffective PPE entering the market, with procurement teams urged to ensure they source stock through trusted and legitimate channels. The warning, from workwear and PPE specialist Supertouch,


comes amid rising demand for PPE as the country continues to tackle the second wave of COVID-19. In order to ensure employees are given as much protection as


possible, it is vital that distributors, health and safety managers, and indeed anyone involved with the provision of PPE obtains their equipment from trusted suppliers, warns the manufacturer.


Matt Rushton, head of Marketing at Supertouch,


comments: “It’s been an extremely challenging time for everyone, and as COVID-19 continues to shine a spotlight on the importance of PPE, it also illustrates the dangers of not using trusted and legitimate channels. Given the safety- critical role that it plays in the everyday life of a range of industries, the increasing prevalence of non-compliant PPE is unwittingly putting wearers at significant risk by lulling them into a false sense of security. “The British Safety Industry Federation’s (BSIF) Registered


Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS), of which Supertouch is a proud member, audits sellers of PPE to ensure products are properly certified. This provides a stamp of approval in terms of guaranteeing equipment performs as it should do.” With the COVID-19 crisis ongoing, and a number of industries


that typically rely on PPE once again ramping up productivity, pressure is being placed on manufactures and suppliers to deliver compliant equipment as efficiently as possible. This has placed emphasis on minimising lead times and ensuring consistency of delivery, particularly on disposables. Rushton continues: “To ensure key items could continue to be


supplied with as little disruption as possible, Supertouch has leveraged its long-standing supplier relationships. Lead times have been minimised by airfreighting goods when necessary, and following a series of prioritised front-line orders, were dispatched to safety distributors immediately upon arrival. “However, even as reduced lead times have become a key


priority in light of increasing demands on PPE, it is critical that the equipment supplied is fit for purpose. Purchasing products that have been imported or distributed by RSSS members such as Supertouch is an important way of ensuring PPE is appropriately certified.”


Supertouch www.supertouch.com/products/disposables 38 SPRING 2021 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE


Helping shoemakers save money, time and reduce waste


SATRA’s development sample assessment service for safety footwear products helps shoemakers highlight any problems that could arise during certification before the whole shoe is made, thereby saving money and time in the manufacturing process. By using this service to test samples shoemakers can also improve their green credentials by reducing the waste of finished products that do not pass certification.


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afety footwear, as well as being protective, must be compliant with


legislation and standards. The level of protection provided by safety footwear must be both effective and consistent and this can only be achieved if the product is carefully designed and manufactured. By carrying out initial assessments of the design and construction and also slip resistance, impact and compression testing, the experts at SATRA can provide valuable feedback to shoemakers. This ensures the rest of the design and manufacture process complies with the safety footwear standards and the CE marking certification requirements, significantly lessening the necessity of expensive product recalls and the risk of litigation.


SATRA offers the complete range of


safety footwear tests including EN ISO, ASTM, CSA, SANS, and AS/NZS standards. SATRA is a European Notified Body and has a team of experts on hand to help shoemakers through the process of the initial sample development tests. The team can advise promptly on the procedures which need to be followed to meet the requirements of the various standards. SATRA can cover slip resistance testing, abrasion testing, durability, comfort assessment, thermal and breathability rating, restricted chemical analysis tests as well as providing fitting and sizing assessments of safety footwear and motorcycle boots.


SATRA www.satra.com / INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE


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