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A new trend in safety wear is the focus on PPE for women.
as well as the risk of paint splashes and other chemical hazards, is often misemployed.“ Often spectacles are used but it should in fact be goggles and should be rated for impact as well. Most workers who use a face shield don’ t think it’ s necessary to wear a dust respirator under the shield,” Naidoo points out.
Another key element that is overlooked is the need for optimal communication.“ 3M believes that to ensure you have the right equipment for your site, it is vital to adopt a holistic approach. Such an approach encompasses the actual conditions of each site, complies with all applicable legislation and policies, and pre-eminently, promotes the safety of your personnel at all times,” says Cilliers.
Skills development and training is an ongoing battle for many timber companies, says Berman-Jacob, adding that most training currently takes place‘ on-the-job’ and often this comes in the form of trial and error.“ In addition to this, the work is physically demanding, and workers typically live on low nutrient diets. This naturally results in fatigued and unfocused workers which leads to errors and injuries.
“ There are no‘ quick fixes’ to problems such as these, however, companies like SAPPI are leading the way by implementing initiatives such as‘ Stop Think Act’( STA). A critical factor that is leading the success of the initiative is the proactive engagement, consultation and communication between all stakeholders. Visual stories and images play a key role in overcoming language barriers.”
THE SMART FUTURE OF PPE
As we move towards the fourth industrial revolution, PPE is becoming more intelligent and connected.“ Connected safety technology is enabling businesses to protect workers more effectively and helps them achieve a competitive advantage by reducing many safety management-related costs,” says Naidoo.
She adds that innovative design and product development is being used to improve PPE.“ We understand that having to wear a hard hat, face shield or eyewear, respiratory protection and hearing protection at the same time can be very uncomfortable and cumbersome. 3M is moving towards providing integrated PPE systems where the user just has to don one item to provide the required protection.
“ Many companies have, over the years, implemented databases to record and monitor their employees’ exposure levels and better manage and maintain the safety equipment they use. Yet, this has traditionally been – and continues to be – a paper-based process of manually inputting occupational safety and health data, despite the availability of software applications to simplify the task.
“ 3M is also investing in‘ smart safety’ where products currently available use smart technology and are able to collect and collate data and conduct personal monitoring.
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40 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 //