PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) is
clothing or equipment that people wear to protect them from dangers in the
workplace. Whether you are working in a factory, or handle chemicals daily in a
lab, PPE should always be worn to minimize your exposure to anything dangerous.
For affordable PPE, including safety wear
and equipment, visit L&A Safety’s website or pop into one of their stores
in Cape Town, Robertson or Vredenburg.
The negative side is that wearing PPE
improperly can sometimes expose you to hidden dangers…
>> It creates a false sense of
security
Having a false sense of security can be
deadly! Just because you are wearing the correct PPE doesn’t mean you are invincible
– accidents can still happen. Workers who believe they are completely protected
from chemicals, electricity, sharp objects, etc. can be careless.
>> It can sometimes create hazards
Each piece of PPE doesn’t fit everyone the
same – it is designed differently for each job and wearing the wrong type of
protection or the wrong size can put someone in serious danger.
>> Pre-Contact vs. Point-of-contact
PPE protects workers during
point-of-contact hazards, such as exposure to ultraviolet light or contact with
dangerous acid. Yes, PPE improves worker safety by reducing the risk of injury,
but it doesn’t eliminate the hazard! Pre-contact controls are essential to
improving worker safety as they eliminate hazards completely.
PPE can include anything from helmets, hard
hats and safety shoes to hearing protection and so much more. So make sure your
PPE program is planned out carefully and introduced in stages.
