Is your PPE industry-specific?

In order to provide the best levels of protection for personnel and adhere to relevant regulations and PPE laws, all personal protective equipment and workwear must comply with the requirements and needs of the specific industry it will be used for.

Purchasing PPE that does not adhere to specific industry standards can be harmful to you or your employees and puts them at unnecessary risk of accident, injury or illness.

Using industry-specific garments and PPE items is essential. Experienced manufacturers are fully aware of the risks associated with each sector and are able to select the appropriate materials to use for each type of PPE, depending on the industry and its associated risks.

Examples of this include industries that deal in electrical installations. For those industries that carry a risk of arc flash or fire, PPE must not be made of HPPE to avoid the risk of combustion.

For those working within the healthcare sector, PPE must protect wearers from exposure to highly contagious diseases or body fluids and offer protection for patients from contamination wherever possible.

As well as being specific to each industry, workwear must also meet industry-specific guidelines put in place by the HSE and follow the three Ds to ensure it is a viable solution for your business:

Design

Giving your employees access to well designed workwear that allows them to carry out their role in a safe manner is a must, so consider the design of each garment before placing an order.

Gender-specific garments that are designed to take into account the specific needs of all workers as well as the industries they work in are a key component of this.

Durability

The lifespan of PPE varies from industry to industry, but it is worth considering the various materials used to ensure they offer maximum protection and durability.

All PPE should be assessed for tears and material weaknesses on a regular basis, too, especially if it is used frequently as damage to both protective coatings and materials can occur along with general wear and tear.

Dangers

All employers are legally required to carry out risk assessments at work, so knowing what dangers staff may potentially face will help you select the best industry-specific workwear for those risks.

These assessments must be carried out for each site of work, work type and employee role as the PPE needs can vary dramatically from one person or project to the rest.

To ensure you have the most suitable workwear for your environment and risk factors, speak to an experienced member of the Wearwell team today.