They are obligated to keep the possible hazards at the workplace in mind and provide their employees with or provide for them to have adequate protective equipment and gear, without any added cost burden to the employees.
There is a clear hierarchy when it comes to the steps of control. This hierarchy is formed by:
Elimination
Substitution
Engineering
Administration
PPE
PPE comes at the last step and is mainly used to augment or supplement other means of alleviating hazard.
Issues faced by workers while using PPE include:
Issues of proper fit.
Issues of poor or subpar maintenance.
These issues can deeply affect the effectiveness of the safety gear and can make it counterproductive. It must, therefore, be made sure that the safety gear is of good quality and does its job well. Hard Yakka is one of the brands which provides premium quality safety equipment is your one-stop solution for all safety gear requirements.
Types of PPE
PPE can help provide protection in the following categories:
Respiratory Protection
No employee is made susceptible to an atmosphere that may be laden with contaminants and unbreathable air.
PPE to use- Disposables, cartridges and airlines can be used either for half the face or full face.
Hearing Protection
Employers are required to provide protection to their employees that work in or around noisy environments.
PPE to use- disposable hearing protection device, earplug, ear canal cap, earmuff, helmet, the suspension system for protection against injuries that may possibly impair hearing.
Eye Protection
Flying dust or other particles, splashes pf toxic substances, harmful gases, aerosols and vapours and harmful high energy radiation from welding, transilluminators and lasers contribute to eye injuries.
PPE to use- spectacles, goggles, shields and visors are usually used for eye protection.
Foot Protection- Along with providing protection, the footwear should be comfortable and provide ample support so that there is no restriction of movement. Occupational protective footwear can be classified on the basis of the type of duty performed by the employee. The parameters are: grades of protective toecaps, thickness ann type of material used, and the thickness and make of the sole of the footwear.
PPE to use- shoes and boots to protect the feet of the personnel.
Hand Protection- Wherever there exists a possibility of a hazard, there must always be hand protection present.
PPE to use-gloves, barrier creams to protect against hand injuries and chemical reactions.
Head Protection- the head is the most important part of the body and must be protected against injury that might appear in the form of falling objects, electrical hazards and bumps. Safety headgears are also designed to protect workers from the sun and rain.
PPE to use-helmets, caps, hoods and hats for maximum head protection.
Skin Protection-This is mainly for employees who work outdoors in the sun and in the presence of various insects.
PPE to use-hats, sunburn cream, clothes with long sleeves.
Protection from working at heights- The aim of protective equipment designed for this case is to minimise the likelihood of fall and consequently injury.
PPE to use-harness and fall arrest devices.
With ensuring proper safety of your employees, you are not only making sure that the number of injuries is reduced but you are also cutting down on the productive hours that get lost on injuries and you are basically saving money in the bigger picture. You are protecting the ones that work for you and what is more important than human capital after all.
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