IC-SPR24-PG34+35_Layout 1 12/02/2024 12:16 Page 35
HEALTH & SAFETY
FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE To comply with the proposed standards, construction employers must assess their current PPE programme and choices. This must consider workers’ gender, race, age, shape and size. Employees’ body size and proportions can differ significantly between hips, chests, and thighs. Hands, feet, faces, ears, ear canals, weight, and height are also factors to consider in PPE fit.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC)/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), meanwhile, highlights the importance of considering workers with disabilities, different job functions, and specific requirements of the occupational setting when determining PPE requirements.
MOVING FORWARD
PPER 2022 provides details on employers’ responsibilities regarding the provision, compatibility, assessment, maintenance and replacement of PPE,
but there is no specific obligation to provide items that properly fit. Many in the UK may therefore welcome the guidance becoming more explicit, with the OSHA’s proposed regulation highlighting a positive path forward. By embracing its principles, it is possible to enhance worker safety and promote inclusivity within the industry, ultimately creating a safer and more supportive workplace for everyone involved. Employers therefore need to recognise that one size does not fit all and take action to ensure all workers have access to PPE that fits.
Veriforce CHAS
www.chas.co.uk
INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE | SPRING 2024 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
