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PPE

PPE Articles

Below is a list of articles that have been published on this topic.
Click on the title to view the whole article

Confining Risk

Hearing Protection

What Goes Up

Digging up Facts

Safety Footwear

Testing Times

Visible Progress

First Call Review

Gas Detection

Hand Picked Protection

Noise in the Workplace

Using Ladders Well

Long Term Sense

Digital Learning

PPE From The Beginning

Buckle Up

The Invisible Hazard

Get To Grips With Gloves

Petroleum Plant Safety

A Fitting Approach

Speak Up On Noise

2013-01-21 EHS News: Noise is part of everyday life and is present in just about every human activity. Most types of noises are classified as either occupational noise or involve random exposure to sources in your enviro

Cementing Respiratory Research

2013-01-21 EHS News: Obstructed airways or reduced lung function and respiratory diseases are still found to a high degree in certain workplaces. The United Nations agency, the International Labour Association (ILO), has

Nano-Protection

2013-01-21 EHS News: Like many industries, the textiles industry is one which is always keen to adopt and develop new technologies - nanotechnology being just one. It’s called progress, and at the heart of all good

Safeguarding Confined Spaces

2013-01-21 EHS News: Gas leak detection methods became a concern after the effects of harmful gases on human health were discovered. Before modern electronic sensors, early detection methods relied on less precise detect

Alarming Standards

2013-01-21 EHS News: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics for 2010-2011 show that more than half of fatal employee injuries were of three kinds: being struck by vehicles; being struck by falling objects; or falli

Step Up to Safety

2013-01-18 EHS News: Following on from the November edition of Health and Safety International, Simon Courtney brings us the second of our two part series on safety footwear. Having previously looked in detail at testing

The Three Cs of Oil and Gas Safety

2012-12-19 EHS News: Teresa Budworth, Chief Executive of the health, safety and environmental examinations body, NEBOSH, explores three key aspects of oil and gas safety - compliance, critical issues and competence. Dis

Great Heights For Safety

EHS News: Reducing hazards across industries and continents, David Ackerley looks at the campaigns and regulations seeking to improve work at height safety. Falls from height remain the most common cause of w

Listen Up - While You Can

2012-12-19 EHS News: Mark Da Silva reviews the literature to ascertain the elements a hearing conservation programme must contain in order to prevent noise induced hearing loss. Introduction A hearing conservation prog

Refining Safety Theory

2012-12-19 EHS News: Traditional safety is sometimes called ‘hard hat safety’. Safety is all about looking professional and, well, a hard hat says it all. While it’s obviously very fashionable in yellow

Nanotechnology Variations

2012-12-19 EHS News: Nanotechnology has found a number of applications in electronics and healthcare. Although the uses of this technology have been limited to specific applications within the textile field, it has been

Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident

2012-12-19 EHS News: A company might issue you tools, safety equipment, and some kind of protective clothing, but there is one thing that cannot be issued - a new set of eyes. If something happens to your eyes, there is

Footfall Measures

2012-12-19 EHS News: In my first contribution to this magazine I stressed that in shoemaking the ‘last should be first’. To recap a little, a shoe last is an interpretation of a so called average foot shape,

Respirators Help Workers Breathe Easy

2012-11-22 EHS News: The burden of respiratory illness in the world today is a drain on both patients and healthcare systems. Respiratory disorders are a major cause of death and disability for many people. The results a

Covering All Angles

2012-11-22 EHS News: Ian Samson, EMEA Regional Training Specialist for DuPont, discusses the importance of choosing the right coverall and the correct procedures to follow when donning and doffing to ensure the maximum l

Safe Working in Confined Spaces

2012-11-19 EHS News: Working in confined spaces may initially seem like quite an uncommon area of health and safety provision. You’d be forgiven for thinking it applies to only a small number of highly specialised

Seeing a Safer Way

2012-11-19 EHS News: Introduction I would like to take a general look at eye safety through my personal experience regarding the introduction of safety eyewear into the workplace. Reluctance may be encountered in the wor

In Step with Standards

2012-11-19 EHS News: Well engineered safety footwear offers wearers protection from a variety of hazards in a range of working environments. Comprehensive laboratory testing allows a manufacturer and supplier to demonstr

EU Glove Regulations

2012-11-19 EHS News: From chemicals to chainsaws and thermal risks to cold protection, Paul Williamson gives us the vital information on PPE gloves and the governing EU regulations. Testing procedures Glove personal prot

Crucial Systems for Height Safety

2012-11-07 EHS News: Whether you use a personal fall arrest system every day or only once in your lifetime, one thing is for certain: the system won’t do any good unless it is used properly. While your company prov

Working from Inside to Outside

2012-11-07 EHS News: The shoe Industry is an ancient craft. The skills of making shoes, boots and sandals go way back in antiquity and Guilds of Master Shoemakers existed in Europe as well established entities in the 110

Protect Your Workers from Gas

2012-11-07 EHS News: It is a well known fact that oil and gas resources are a huge part of the world economy. What may not be as well known are the dangers that come along with working in this industry. It is the largest

The Unpredictable Nature of Oil Exploration

2012-11-07 EHS News: As oil and gas drilling rigs tend to be located in remote locations onshore and platforms offshore, it is vitally important that workers are fully prepared to deal with an emergency and the consequen

Costing Your Hearing Protection

Costing Your Hearing Protection [Sep 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

Materials Used in Specialist Workwear Sept 2012

Materials Used in Specialist Workwear [Sep 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

The Augmented Human

The Augmented Human [Sep 2012]. Published in OSA Magazine - . The region’s only A4 glossy, English language journal tying the entire region together for regulations, best practice, training and, most importantly, Personal Protective Equipment for the work force.Reporting to the high-risk industries such as oil and gas, petrochem, construction, mining, utilities...

Getting Ahead on Safety [Aug 2012]

No matter now careful you may be to engineer hazards out of your workplace, Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, plays a vital part in maintaining worker safety. Certain tasks are clearly more hazardous than others, but protecting a worker’s eyesight - as powerful a work tool as it is vulnerable - is obviously essential.

Confined Spaces - Safe Practise

Operating in the hazardous and unpredictable shipping sector, IACS’s members have an admirably stringent approach to Confined Space safety practise, which they share with HSME readers in this edition.

In Safe Hands

Last year students achieved a record 23 percent at A* level grades at GCSE, the 22nd year of improving grades - almost tripling the rate of top grades achieved in 1988. This continued improvement in grades is attributed to examinations which are less demanding, and to schools seeking to use the easiest examination board.

The Machinery of Trade

At a time when money is tight for businesses across the globe, it’s important to spend wisely on your investments. These can encompass anything from the design of your production line, and what you spend here, through to your choice of PPE, such as protective workwear. John Glover talks readers through the process of weaving all these various elements into your planning when it comes to considering risk assessments.

Giving Sound Advice

Hearing loss is a cross-industry, international problem that anyone exposed to too much noise can suffer with. As one of the most common work related illnesses, the global burden of noise-induced hearing loss has a heavy price to pay, with 16 percent of cases worldwide put down to occupational noise exposure.

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

Where extreme respiratory risks might be encountered, such as the possible presence of an irrespirable atmosphere, recourse is often necessary to the use of breathing apparatus (BA). In some such situations, breathing air is supplied via an airline rather than carried in a cylinder as a compressed gas. This has the obvious advantage that there is no need for the weight and bulk of the cylinder but, equally obviously, the disadvantage that the wearer is tethered by the airline which has to be dragged around the working area to allow a degree of mobility.

Researching Chemical Protection

Research into the detection and prevention of exposure to chemicals has a long history in Sweden. Carin Håkansta gives a brief overview of the policy context that enabled this type of OSH research to prosper, how policies have changed over time and how those changes affected the area. Furthermore, she describes how Swedish research on chemical exposures has developed through time. Finally, in order to give a flavour of research today, three examples of ongoing research projects funded by FAS in the area of chemical risks are presented.

Testing Gloves Against High Voltages

SATRA’s Peter Doughty talks about the hazards associated with live electrical working and the tests that are carried out on gloves used to offer protection against high voltages.

Slips Trips and Falls [Jul 2012]

Slips and falls in the workplace represent more than a trivial problem. According to research in the United States by the Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety, same-level slips and falls represent nearly 11 percent of all workers’ compensation claims and more than 13 percent of all these injuries are second only to manual material handling and holding loads, which represent 37 percent and 40 percent respectively.

Materials Used in Specialist Workwear

In the first of a series of two articles, we introduce the research of Dr Ningtao Mao, Senior Lecturer in Performance Textiles at the University of Leeds. So informative and extensive was Dr Mao’s submission on the subject of workwear, we believe it will be a vital reference for readers and, as such, urge you also to read September’s edition of H&SI, where you will find further material that will help to inform your selection of this vital kind of PPE.

Getting Ahead on Safety

Hans-Horst Konkolewsky of the Geneva-based International Social Security Association (ISSA) makes a convincing economic case for investment in safety and health equipment. Observed from an international perspective, this overview underpins the returns to be gained from wise investment in worker safety.

Shaking Up Safety

Some schools of thought advocate wearing gloves to guard employees against Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Others suggest the protection gloves offer from this condition is minimal. Whatever your counsel has been on this matter, it’s important managers have a comprehensive understanding of this potentially very serious condition in order to safeguard workers health in the long term – whether that’s by supplying their work force with suitable hand protection, or through other means.

Measuring the Temperature of Industrial Success

When we think of productive, efficient industrial output, many drivers may spring to mind: innovative thinking, strong research and development and of course a workforce to drive the end result. What may not come to mind is reliable temperature measurement; but, put simply, for many industrial processes this is fundamental to ensure success and efficiency.

Slips, Trips and Falls [Jun 2012]

Ninety-five percent of accidents in our industry happen due to unsafe situations. Due to all such unsafe situations, the most frequently occurring accidents in professional and non-professional life are slips, trips and falls. They are the major cause of injuries worldwide.

Life Preserving RPE

David Lummis, CEO of the British Safety Industry Federation, discusses the importance of correctly fitting Respiratory Protective Equipment, the factors to take into account when selecting such equipment and UK initiatives that have been set up to help tackle these issues.

Burning Questions In Workwear

Protective clothing offers the wearer reliable protection against health risks and environmental effects related to their job which cannot be avoided in their line of work. In Germany, for example, protective clothing amounts to about 40% of the total market for personal protection equipment (PPE), thus being the biggest individual business segment for PPE, followed by hand protection (22%) and protective footwear (14%).

One in the Eye for Safety and Testing

What do these standards mean? Who comes up with them? Are they really necessary? For example, it’s very difficult to explain to a company who have worn one particular type of Flame Resistant (FR) apparel for as long as they can remember, that it's actually not really fit for the job. It may have been what was available 20 years ago, but times and fabric developments change – and as I found out, you can very easily be under protected by not knowing the facts.

Preventing Eye Injuries

Every day an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces. The financial cost of these injuries is enormous - more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses and workers’ compensation. No dollar figure can adequately reflect the personal toll these accidents take on the injured workers.

Exploring Respiratory Protective Equipment

It's 7am, my first week on the job as the newly designated safety guy for a fabrication shop. The lunch room is filled with 35 men, fatigued, overworked, and absolutely not interested in this whole new ‘safety programme’ the company is embarking on. It's been a tough week getting any signs of interest or cooperation out of these guys including the supervisors. I'm an outsider with a white hard hat - I should have opted for a blue one; they think I'm a safety cop giving them orders.

Gloves Off About Fake Hand Protection

David Lummis, CEO of The British Safety Industry Federation introduces the Registered Safety Supplier Scheme and discusses the ongoing issue of fake hand protection.

The Importance of Workwear

Many employers are aware of their basic duty of care to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) at work, but do they really consider the value and the importance of health and safety workwear in their organisation?

Protective Coveralls

Heat and flame testing of protective coveralls Manufacturers producing garments protecting workers against heat and flame hazards have three ISO standards which can be utilised in the design of the garments: namely ISO 11611:2007 (protective clothing for use in welding and allied processes), ISO 11612:2008 (protective clothing for workers exposed to heat) and ISO 14116:2008 (protective clothing for workers exposed to flame).

Cut and Puncture Protective Gloves - March 2012

Protective gloves represent one of the most common and frequently used personal protective equipment (PPE). Their role is to protect hands against various hazards, including, among others, thermal, mechanical, chemical, biological and electric ones, often combined, thus creating a multiple protection requirement of gloves.

The Great Roofing Story

Intentions behind following safety rules What is Project Management? Despite the plethora of information available on the subject and the access to different diplomas/degree courses in Project Management, the cardinal rule is that Project Management is all about getting things done. While a theoretical course is extremely helpful to understand the techniques, the knowledge of project management is mainly derived from experience.

FR Workwear

On August 12, 2010, OSHA published a news release indicating “BP Products North America Inc will pay a full penalty of $50.6 million stemming from the 2005 explosion at its Texas City, TX, refinery that killed 15 workers and injured 170 others.” Although the Texas City British Petroleum (BP) incident precedes the DeepWater Horizon offshore explosion, considering the demand for clean energy, there seems to be little doubt that the energy industry has become a current event on the minds of American society. Enforcement emphasis

Five Tests for Footwear

Since June 1995, products designed to protect the user from health and safety hazards must be CE marked before they can be sold in the European Community. This includes all such goods, wherever they are manufactured, including Asia. Such products are called Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are covered by the Personal Protective Equipment Directive 89/686/EEC. This EC directive defines the regulations and procedures required before a PPE product may be CE marked and placed on the market. It includes a set of health and safety requirements with which all PPE must comply.

Occupational Noise and Health

Many countries in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) have experienced rapid economic and industrial development over the past few decades following the discovery and exportation of natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals.

Long Term PPE Perspective

Prometei is an initiative that builds on the lead market initiative on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) of the European Union. This initiative was one of the action points of the PPE Conference held in Hengelo on December 1 and 2, 2008; it was set up to foster synergies in research and development in PPE and to develop an end-user innovation agenda and was politically supported by EURATEX, ESF and ETSA and funded by the participating organisations.

Blinded by Bad Habits

Your eyes are a valuable asset. Could you imagine a day without sight? Our eyes have been called the most complex organ in our bodies, with six million cone cells giving us detailed colour daytime vision to 120 million rod cells giving us our dim light, or night vision. The value and capability of our eyes is truly priceless.

Changing the Chemistry of Safety

When it comes to safety performance, chemical organisations deserve a lot of credit. Despite high-hazard processes and materials, these businesses have largely outpaced other industry organisations in safety performance and injury reduction.

Industrial Hand Protection

2012-10-10 EHS News: Car buyers tend to purchase a vehicle to meet their application and set a specification for a suitable car to meet their needs, whether that’s farming, urban road or rally driving - this ensure

Working at Height

Working at Height [Jan 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

Glove Selection

Glove Selection [Jan 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

Going Through Fire For Your Safety

Going Through Fire For Your Safety [Jan 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

Hearing Protection

Hearing Protection [Jan 2012]. Published in Health and Safety International - Europe's magazine for employee protection and personal protective equipment. HSI Magazine is published in January, April, July and October. It contains legislation updates for the whole of Europe, in-depth articles on Personal Protective Equipment and Company and Product Profiles to help you source the necessary equipment to protect your most valuable asset: your people.

Finding the Perfect Gloves

Never underestimate the value of your hands. Your hands help you every second of every day. They are there to help you cook your favorite meal, play catch with your kids, and hold your loved ones close.

Workplace Safety

Of all the work that is undertaken around the world every day of every year the most feared – by both labourer and managing director – is that which has to be undertaken at height or in areas of difficult access.

Protecting the Respiratory Tract

Sudden deaths in industry are rare, even in countries with less well developed Health and Safety control, but they still grab the headlines, and still dominate our impressions of industry as a ‘dangerous place’. But the real dangers are far more insidious, and very often the consequences only manifest very much after the event.

Revolution and Evolution

This article aims to explore the general construction and safety standards relating to protective footwear utilised within industry. The intent of the author is that the reader will expand their knowledge of this subject and perhaps review their current collection of styles in terms of suitability against the tasks in which they are utilised.

The Power of Gloves

Making sure you’re wearing gloves to protect your hands when there is a potential for hand injury sounds simple enough. The truth is much more complex, and a great number of important factors must be considered first.

Workwear in Construction

This report looks at how work wear in construction is a growing market in the Middle East, which not only presents numerous opportunities for industry professionals, but also highlights issues that organisations embarking on construction within the Middle East are confronted with. Particular reference is made to ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, including the application of efficient and appropriate workwear.

Challenges of PPE

In many workplaces, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used, either as the only form of protection or as an additional line of protection to supplement other approaches. Few health and safety professionals would argue against using other precautions, aimed at preventing hazards or reducing risks at source, as first choice. Those professionals would, however, readily admit that such measures will seldom completely remove a risk and that PPE will continue to have a role to play in occupational safety and health.

Hearing Protection in the Workplace

In 2005, about 278 million people had moderate to profound hearing impairment; 80% of these people live in low and middle income countries.1 Causes of hearing impairment can include diseases such as meningitis, measles, mumps and chronic ear infections. Other causes include exposure to excessive noise, head and ear injury and ageing. Half of all cases of deafness and hearing impairment are avoidable through prevention, early diagnoses and management.

Personal Fall Protection

Simon Hughes from IOSH’s Middle East Branch talks about the importance of personal fall protection equipment (PFPE) in the Middle East. As with any occupation, good planning with a suitable risk assessment are cornerstones of good health and safety management and an essential part of any work at height task or trade. Any person involved in planning or organising a work at height activity should be competent and have a good knowledge of the task to be performed, potential hazards and risks arising from the work, and an understanding of the appropriate controls that need to be considered and implemented to prevent falls. This will enable them to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.

Confined Spaces

Most industrial facilities have confined spaces. They often get overlooked because access to them is rare. Not surprisingly, many facility managers believe there is no particular reason for concern. The awakening could be a rude one, as several managers have faced criminal prosecution and substantial fines as a result of fatal accidents.

Fall Arrest

Falls from height have been a major cause for concern in Singapore. As of August 2 of this year, there have been 15 such fatalities, in which four were from the construction industry. Putting safety provisions in place for your workforce will not only safeguard your employees, but help to prevent costly accidents in every sense.

Flame Retardant Clothing - A Guide

This article aims to provide simple facts to the reader in relation to the popular issues surrounding flame retardant fabrics and garments, especially those used in the oil and gas industries.

Arm and Hand Protection

It’s probably something that you never thought about before, right? It’s certainly a conversion stopper at parties, but something very serious on a professional level. Gloves come out of the packet, so they have to be clean. No-one has ever used them before, so if I use a new pair of gloves every time they must be ok, mustn’t they?

Take the Right Steps

Sara Wesche from Summit Training talks us through the important issues to consider in the selection and use of footwear, an important element of PPE in every industrial workplace.

Chemical Protection

Chemical incidents can be of various types. Some result in the need for minor first aid while others are disastrous accidents, involving the use of hazardous chemicals – which can be toxic, flammable or reactive.

Choosing Gloves To Protect Skin

The Health and Safety Executive is an independent regulator with a remit of ‘putting those who put others in danger before the courts’. The HSE also provides support to businesses. Here they share their wisdom about the use of gloves as a form of PPE, while suggesting numerous alternatives.

Combustible Dust

Manufacturing industries don’t appear high risk like the oil, gas, petrochemical, and mining sectors. Appearances are deceiving. After all, how dangerous is shopping at the grocery store while navigating the aisles, or comparing department store prices on electronic products, gadgets, and wizardry?

Protective Clothing [Sept 2011]

The right body protection to wear for each risk-assessed task is of vital importance in every work situation, particularly in work environments where it can be fatal if we get it wrong.

Chemical Protective Suits

It is crucial that protective suits do what they say on the tin, or workers may be exposed to highly hazardous chemicals, radioactivity or biological agents. Not only is it essential that users select the right type of protective coverall, but the coverall must perform to the standard specified on the label.

Eye Protection

Every day people working in hazardous environments choose not to put on protective eyewear. Mostly, they’re fine.

Height Safety

Work at height is work in any place where a person could be injured falling from it if measures are not in place to stop this from happening.

PPE Assessment

In this article we will discuss development of a personal protective equipment (PPE) process. The process begins with human performance concepts, a job hazard analysis for assessing potential risk and hazards, use of the Hierarchy of Controls before selecting PPE, and finally, implementing the use and administration of applicable PPE.

Head Protection

Prevention of head injuries is an important factor in every safety programme. A single injury can handicap an employee for life, or it can be fatal. In a survey of accidents and injuries by the American Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it was noted that most workers who suffered impact injuries to the head were not wearing head protection. The majority of workers were injured while performing their normal jobs at their regular worksites.

Height Safety

According to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 35 people died and a further 4,654 were seriously injured in 2009 due to a fall from height. These shocking statistics seemingly increase year on year and transcend the wide spectrum of industries which require employees to work at height during some stage in their profession. What is even more alarming, however, is that almost all deaths and injuries resulting from a fall could have been prevented through the provision of adequate height safety training, and from undertaking effective risk assessment procedures.

BA Instructor’s View

For the last 13 years I have been training personnel in the use of breathing apparatus and wanted to take this opportunity to express some thoughts I’ve had over the years regarding breathing apparatus.

Eye Protection

From domestic DIY environments, right through to heavy industries and military applications, protective eyewear is one of today’s most common types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

As an important part of self protection in the workplace, Elaine Munro from BSI looks at the different types of eye protectors and offers advice on choosing the best solution for the job at hand.

Face Fit Testing

This article reviews UK practices and improvements made by stakeholder bodies supported by the Health and Safety Executive - including a professionally recognised accreditation scheme which aims to ensure the competency of fit test providers.
While legislation to protect workers included in OSA’s demographics is emerging, consistent regulations have yet to be established. Citing the quite specific experience of UK health and safety practitioners will give Asian readers an idea not only of how lengthy the process of creating coherent safeguards for workers has been, but will also give them insights into the many nuances and subtle distinctions the various elements of legislation embrace, plus the support systems that have developed in terms of legislative enforcement.

CBRN PPE

This year and in early 2012 the Emergency response community will start to see products being introduced to the marketplace that comply with a new series of National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) product performance standards. These standards have one major goal in mind, and that is to protect emergency personnel as they respond to incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) threat.

INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE FALL PROTECTION

Everybody knows that it is dangerous to work high above the ground. But if you do this on a daily basis, you will get used to the height.

Respiratory Protective Equipment [May 2011]

It is a sad fact that thousands of workers develop lung problems and cancer each year as a result of breathing in harmful quantities of dust, fumes or other airborne contaminants at work. Where toxic substances are present in the workplace and engineering controls are inadequate to reduce or eliminate them, the supply and use of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is necessary.

EXCEEDING STANDARDS

I’m not one to preach, but in my position as an industrial and protective apparel consultant I do get asked for advice on the subject of what PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) should be worn and where. So, subsequently I have to have an opinion, which I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear falls strongly in favour of a safe working environment, or suitable protective apparel where risks are encountered.

Which Gloves Are Best For The Job?

Your hands are likely to be an important tool whatever job you’re in, but since many HSME readers work in the oil and gas industries in the Middle East, we’re looking at appropriate hand protection for particular tasks, and the kinds of testing various gloves undergo to ensure they’re fit for purpose.

Gas Detection

Single gas detectors, often referred to as personal gas monitors have been in service for quite a number of years. They are a regular every day sight attached to worker’s coveralls in a wide range of industries and accepted as part of the uniform much like the company badge on the very same pair of coveralls. Whether they are black, yellow, orange or blue they all perform much the same function, don’t they?

The Dreaded LOLER Inspector

For many company owners and managers involved in employing people who work at height, the words ‘LOLER inspector’ can sometimes cause dread. Various reasons for this viewpoint will be discussed in this article, along with suggestions for ways to use the inspection in a constructive manner, as part of your company equipment management schedule.

Protection Against Cut and Puncture

We can do the most incredible things with our hands: from performing microsurgery to producing the finest art or building huge super tankers - and many people look after their finest tools as a matter of course. This article details the legislation in place to assist both employers and employees in identifying and selecting the appropriate gloves for manual tasks.

Vital Protection for Eyes

Let us pose a simple question: why is vision the only sense we do not test for in the safety and health arena on a regular basis?

Best Practices in Fall Protection

One of the best fall protection practices an employer can do is to develop a formal managed fall protection programme. Adhering to minimum OSHA requirements is beneficial, but consistency suffers and OSHA regulations simply cannot address specific fall protection issues that every employer has.

Gripping New Glove Solutions

This is probably going to be one of the shortest articles that you’ve ever read as the answer to that question is YES, grip is indeed the new safety feature.

Hearing Protection

David Whiting discusses how a strategic risk assessment approach can work best in noisy workplaces.

Respiratory Protective Equipment [March 2011]

Many workers are employed in jobs where they are potentially exposed to respiratory hazards. For example, it has been estimated that in the UK alone, about 5.5 million employees could be at risk. Exposure to respiratory hazards can cause ill health or even result in fatal diseases. The risk is not always to the lungs and respiratory passages. Substances that are toxic to other parts of the body can also enter the body via the lungs.

Above the neck protection

Safety helmets play a vital role in protecting personnel on site, yet many are unaware that like most products, they have a shelf life. The implications of this are huge, with many site personnel currently using helmets that should have been replaced.

Protection for workers at height

Fall Protection is vital where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated from the working situation. Injuries involving those who work at heights are generally much more severe than other work place accidents. These types of injuries can often be life-threatening – some are fatal. It is therefore essential that foremen of crews working on rooftops and other raised surfaces be aware of these dangers.

SAFETY AT WORK ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

As the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) projects’ market enters a new cycle of growth after the global crisis, the need for sustainable construction and safety in carrying out the work is pressing.

18 Gauge Gloves - Fad or Future?

If you don’t know what an 18 gauge glove is, it’s the latest type of general purpose, light weight glove. You may see one soon as a few of the large glove suppliers are scrambling to add these products to their glove portfolios. But did anyone actually ask for such a product?

FR Protective Clothing

Hazardous working environments are a global concern - but the Middle East might be said to boast more than its fair share.

Safety Footwear [Feb 2011]

In this article Darren Taylor, founder and owner of UK-based safety product supplier www.theuksafetystore.com, outlines how the issue of slips and trips in the workplace continues to cause significant problems for employers, as well as looking at some of the practical steps businesses can take to reduce the risks by adopting tried and tested examples of good practice, and where necessary, providing staff with the appropriate safety footwear.

Fall Protection Safety

Occupational falls continue to be one of the highest recordable incidents in industry. They are the third leading cause of death, following motor vehicle accidents and struck by incidents. According to the United States based National Safety Council, in 2006 falls accounted for 847 deaths and 253,440 lost work days (National Safety Council, 2010).

Footwear for Chemical Protection

SATRA’s Peter Doughty highlights some key requirements and latest developments for chemical protection footwear intended for supply into the EU.

Gas Detection

It’s rough on the front lines. If they listened to what these devices have to say, safety pros would learn a lot.

Tests of PPE Combinations

In construction, mining, and the chemical industry, workers carry out activities that require the simultaneous use of head protection, respiratory protective equipment, and PPE against falls from a height.

The Selection of Hearing Protection

There are many aspects to noise within the workplace, from conducting a risk assessment to noise control measures, but at some point within the process it is likely that it will be necessary to issue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to at least some employees.

Correct Coveralls

An employer must provide suitable overalls to protect employees from certain workplace hazards that cannot be eliminated or isolated. Such hazards could include sparks and hot particles, molten metal splashes, direct flame, radiant heat, solvents, acids, alkalis, oil, grease, blood and body fluids, asbestos fibres, and other hazardous substances. High-visibility overalls may also be appropriate where people are exposed to hazards from moving traffic, or from moving plant or equipment under the control of an onboard operator.

Fall Protection

Every time a worker is raised from ground level, they face a greater risk of injury or death by falling, tripping, slipping or sliding. If working from heights is unavoidable, it becomes necessary to use protective equipment to either prevent a fall or minimise injury if a fall were to occur.

Protective Footwear [Dec 2010]

Selecting the right type of protective footwear for your site staff is not only essential for their safety, but it also forms part of your duty of care towards your employees. Some basic understanding of footwear categories and how they’re tested can make that selection process much simpler. It can even help you avoid inferior and counterfeit goods during procurement and help mitigate your risks.

Respiratory Protection [December 2010]

With all the new products being developed, and chemicals being mixed to make those products, sometimes just one breath of a toxic fume could do some permanent damage to you, if not death.

CBRN PPE

PPE is ever evolving to keep up with the relentless ‘progression’ of chemicals, substances and machinery which could cause harm to the operator or others.

The Psychology of PPE - A Human Factor Approach to PPE Compliance

Why do people not wear PPE when they know it’s the last line of defence and could save something as important as their sight, or even their life? I mean, we all know that the typical employer doesn’t like to spend money on employees unless they have to, even at the best of times. And it’s been a while since it was the best of times!

Use Your Head - Wear that Hard Hat

No one can predict objects falling from above. When we were kids, our teachers told us to put on our ‘thinking caps’. Now that we are all grown up, those who work in industrial settings need to use their thinking caps to remember to always wear head protection anytime hazards are present. The key to keeping yourself out of harm’s way is personal protective equipment, of all types.

Why is Glove Selection so Complex?

Before safety specialists get to the stage of understanding what gloves are available in the market they must have a thorough understanding of the user need. It’s not as obvious as it may seem.

Confined Space - More Hazardous than other Workspaces

Confined space may be defined as a place where the means of entry or exit are restricted because of location, design, construction or contents. It may include tanks, tankers, tunnels, silos, sewers, flues, pipelines, sea containers or vessels. The main hazards encountered in confined spaces are fire or explosion, asphyxiation, toxicity, drowning in liquids or free flowing solids and injury or death if mechanical equipment within the confined space is inadvertently turned on while someone is still inside. These hazards are due to the presence of hazardous gases, vapours, fumes, dusts or the creation of an oxygen-deficient or oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Fall Protection - Individual and collective fall protection safety

The number one construction killer in any country is falling from heights, and this is principally due to the lack of proper edge protection in a variety of construction tasks. This work accounts for more than half of all deaths in the industry every year, and a significant amount of all major and more than three day lost time injuries.

Fall Protection and Rescue Plans - The Importance of Proactively Protecting Your Workers

What with the introduction of the code of safety standards from the Dubai Municipality last year, the creation of the construction sector’s own health and safety initiative, Build Safe UAE, and a range of other initiatives to promote best practice, health and safety are now moving to the top of the agenda across the region.

Footwear as PPE - Application Specific Footwear Choice and Training in Use

When engineering, work practice and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their employees and ensure its use.

Protective Clothing - Solutions that improve comfort and functionality

Great recent progress in technology hasn’t solved the problem of safety and protection of man in his working environment. It is not always possible to eliminate or to reduce the dangerous and harmful factors in the workplace, and sometimes the only solution to protect a worker from hazards is to apply individual protective equipment. Some of the most commonly used examples of PPE are protective clothing.

Ensuring Chemical Protection - Minimising the risks chemical hazards can have on workers

The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is the leading trade body within the UK safety industry and an HSE-recognised competent authority. Its members include manufacturers, distributors, test houses, certification bodies, safety professionals and service providers. Here the BSIF looks at the issue of chemical protection and offers advice on how to ensure employees remain safe.

Eye Protection

When you are issued a pair of safety spectacles, goggles or a welding helmet, have you ever noticed a certification label on the packaging and/or on the product itself and wondered what it really means?

Where worker protection is concerned, the eyes are at the top of the list! If there is a potential for an injury to the eye or face from flying particles, harmful liquids, gases or vapours, or harmful radiation, eye and face protectors should be provided to workers. These protectors should carry the label ofan accredited third party certification organisation.

Helmets

Health and safety provision is a fact of life for any modern business and the penalties for failing to ensure the wellbeing of workers can prove disastrous. Claire Lynam of BSI examines the issues surrounding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the standards that affect its manufacture, and how the Asian market is reacting to it.

Protective Clothing [Sept 2010]

Workers are exposed to heat and fire hazards in many industrial workplaces, and are thus at risk of burn injuries.

SCBA - An Overview - Breathing Apparatus for emergency and industrial situations

PPE is normally classified as either simple or complex in design - this is not a statement that I have ever particularly agreed with. In my mind, whatever PPE being used, it either offers the wearer protection or it does not - it’s really simple. In fact the whole aspect of personal protective equipment is simple: it either protects you or it doesn’t.

Comfort Based Safety - Protective Workwear Tailored to the Toughest Environments

The most challenging jobs - be they in oil and gas, or electrical utility - often require the toughest protective apparel. But the tougher the protective garment, the more discomfort can result in a ponderous workday, impinging on productivity or affecting compliance issues. The primary purpose of protective garments is protection, functionability and identification. Comfort, fit, style and overall wearability was never given adequate consideration, as we have gathered over these 40 years of exposure to the industry: innovations have not been able to pair the two factors of protection and comfort, resulting in unsafe operating procedures.

Respiratory Protection - Breathing Air for Life

An airborne contaminant is any type of material or gas that does not normally occur in the natural ambient atmosphere. Unlike other types of hazards in the workplace, airborne contaminants are often overlooked because of their small size and ubiquitous nature.

PPE Training - Continually Improving Health and Safety Performance

As a Health and Safety Professional I have often found that although personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided by management for employee use, the choice is not always cost effective or appropriate, e.g. it does not necessarily provide the correct type of protection, and it can be over prescribed. To assist companies in the introduction of PPE risk management and control measures, I have assisted in the development and introduction of a PPE training course, which will enable supervisors and employees to carry out PPE risk assessments and introduce simple management techniques to ensure that they comply with legislative requirements - and at the same time provide the most cost effective PPE solutions. The legal duties and obligations around PPE are The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, which seek to ensure that where risks cannot be controlled by other means, Personal Protective Equipment is correctly selected and used.

Prevention is Better than Cure - Arm and Hand Protection in Industry

In industry, there are many and varying hazards and risks that if left uncontrolled could have the potential to cause harm to people, property and/or the environment. The greater the hazard potential, the higher the degree of risk will be.

Protective Eyewear - Spotlight on Design and Protection

Eyes are the most important sensory organs of the human body. Around 85-90% of all our sensory impressions are conveyed by sight, so it is all the more important to protect these sensitive organs from injury.

Hearing Protectors - Selection and use of appropriate hearing protectors

With an appropriate selection and use of hearing protectors, employees can do their work in noisy areas without danger of hearing damage. According to the EC Noise at Work Directive (2003/10/EC), hearing protectors have to reduce the noise exposure level at the ear to 87 dB(A) with respect to an eight hour shift.

Best Foot Forward - Safety, protective and occupational footwear in Europe

In industry the use of shoes with toe protection have a long history of protecting workers from the dangers of mechanical impacts. As one of the first producers of such shoes, Germany has more than 100 years of tradition in this area.

Ergonomics of PPE - Ensuring Acceptable Above the Neck Protection

Although it is widely recognised that reduction of any risk at source is to be preferred, in many workplaces Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used, either as the only form of protection or as an additional defence. Taking just one form of protection as an example, research has established that 5.5 million workers are exposed to respiratory hazards in the workplace. Of these, approximately 50% wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE). However, it is also estimated that only 50% of these wear equipment that is correctly selected and fitted. It can be calculated from this that only 25% of those at risk are adequately protected which suggests that the remaining 75% could be at risk from respiratory ill health.

Hand in Glove - PPE specific to Hand-arm Vibration (HAV)

When people talk about protection in the context of health and safety, it’s generally about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). No worries - I’m not going to disappoint you. You’ll get my views on PPE in respect of Hand-arm Vibration (HAV) shortly, but I make no apologies for reiterating an old Health and Safety Executive (HSE) favourite first. By far and away the most effective form of protection is, wherever and whenever possible, to eliminate the risk. If you can’t achieve that then it’s control and management. While PPE has its uses and should be properly worn and maintained, it should never be forgotten that when it fails, it fails to be safe.

Protective Coveralls - What if coveralls did not protect as much as we thought?

How can it be possible that people who are theoretically protected by PPE are in fact getting contaminated? Discussions led with coverall manufacturers revealed that the coveralls currently recommended for use in farming were primarily developed for industry, with agriculture representing only a niche market, and indeed the effectiveness of the coveralls has not been tested with the active substances contained in pesticides, including some of the most widely used.

Ear Protection

In noisy workplaces hearing must be protected with hearing protectors. Often the results are poor, however, which makes the ear protection a bad investment. The key to successful ear protection is the careful planning and deep understanding of things that can go wrong. Failing to do so means the numbers suffering hearing loss will ?not decrease.

Face Fit Testing

Although workplace legislation and Health and Safety practices vary from country to country, some technical aspects of respirator fitting are fairly consistent. This article highlights UK practices, which may also apply to other countries throughout the world.

Gas Detection

The certification process for gas detection equipment can be complicated in China. Gas detection manufacturers from other major trading blocks around the world will find that exporting products to the Chinese market doesn’t follow a similar route to those for European or North American approval, for example. Differences in national standards, and a stringent approval route makes Chinese approval for gas detection products confusing and time-consuming, but not without its economic advantages.

Height Safety

At the Construction Safety, Health and Security campaign in Singapore, the minister of State for Trade, Industry and Manpower announced key initiatives to raise the safety and health standards of the construction industry in Asia. The speech stressed the responsibility of all stakeholders in ensuring safety in the workplace.

Respiratory Protection [June 2010]

Relax and take a deep breath An airborne contaminant is any type of material or gas that does not normally occur in the natural ambient atmosphere. Unlike other types of hazards in the workplace, airborne contaminants are often invisible because of their small size or ubiquitous nature. You may not be able to see, feel or even smell them, however, the lungs are an extremely efficient filter and quickly absorb contaminants from the air we breathe.

Workwear

Whether on a building site, in the fire service, or working in foodstuffs manufacturing, in times of hard competition, more and more companies are emphasising a homogeneous company look. After all, correctly and cleanly clad employees in harmonising outfits always cut a good figure as brand ambassadors. Today’s occupational clothing has to do with much more than ‘just look good’. In many sectors, safety aspects also play a large role. Anyone wishing to save on costs in the purchase and maintenance of occupational clothing relies on professional hire service suppliers.

Confined Spaces - Making Confined Spaces Safe

From a health and safety point of view, work in confined spaces is regarded as being particularly hazardous and must be strictly controlled in order to minimise risk. However, if risk is to be adequately controlled it is first necessary to set down a definition of the term ‘confined space’ that can be used to identify the tasks involved in this style of working.

Filtrating Respiratory Protection Devices - tools against hazardous particles

Respiratory protective devices provide protection against different types of air contamination e.g. dusts, fumes, gases and vapours that are hazardous for human health. Respirators are generally classified two basic categories: filtering devices – used as the simplest protection equipment against chemical agents, and breathing apparatus – generally used by specially trained end-users in complex environments.

Workwear - Putting the Workers into Workwear

What people wear to work is important. They will be spending up to 12 hours a day on the activities relating to their employment. The environment may involve temperature extremes – hot or cold: it may involve hazardous substances: radiation; or physical hazards such as handling glass, sharp materials etc. In the global world of work, workers need protecting from many hazards.

Eye Protection - Practical advice to keep in sight

All eye injuries are preventable, however, each work day during 2008 about 110 U.S. workers had a job-related eye injury that results in Days Away From Work Cases. According to the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)[i], overall, there are approximately 2000 work-related eye injuries in the US every day. These injuries occur in all categories of industry but the highest frequencies occur in manufacturing, transportation and construction.

Safety Footwear - Protection through well engineered design and manufacture

To consistently and effectively provide the necessary level of protection, safety footwear must be carefully designed and manufactured. A thorough consideration at the development stage of both the design and materials to be used can save both time and money during the testing and certification stage. A well-engineered product will also help to ensure there are few or no problems identified during ongoing compliance testing, thereby avoiding costly product recalls and the risk of litigation.

Seams Absurd

Evaluating the construction and design of chemical protective clothing is vital in ensuring a selected garment is fit for use. Different garments, whilst being approved to the same European norms may have minor design differences; different width of zip cover, different hood construction and shape, and other such elements which may not be reflected in European Standard testing but may, or may not make the garment more or less suitable for any specific application. One critical aspect is how a garment is put together.

Industrial Safety Footwear - A Step In The Right Direction

The provision and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been subject of much debate over the years both in the UK and beyond. Up until recent times, employers would simply state that you must have your own safety boots and overall before starting work. This is no longer the case with changes in recent years to legislation ensuring that PPE is provided by the employer free of charge to the worker. This is obviously the case in the UK and most of Europe however the same may not go for all workers in areas of the world not so well regulated. For the purpose of this article we will focus on UK legislation as a guide to what is an acceptable level of provision of PPE and in particular safety Footwear. Before we discuss the various types of safety footwear available on the market it is important that we review the legislation that drives the provision of, training for and the maintenance of PPE in the workplace today.

Gloves - How accelerator-free are your accelerator-free gloves?

With the current media interest in Natural Rubber Latex Allergy (also known as Immediate Type Hypersensitivity, Protein Allergy or Type I), it was possibly only a question of time before the focus moved also to Allergic Contact Dermatitis (also known as Type IV, Delayed Hypersensitivity or Chemical Allergy).

Guide to Flame-Retardant Clothing - What Exactly is Common Sense

The first question posed to the author by a peer who reviewed an early draft of this article was, “What exactly is common sense?” So let’s begin by explaining that. This article provides a summary of common knowledge about flameretardant clothing (FRC). You have heard “everybody knows...” Well, everybody may not know, which is why this article summarizes basic knowledge readily available in the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and American Petroleum Institute (API) standards. You’ll also find regulations that apply to the entire oil and gas industry (Class I, Division I areas), power generation and chemical manufacturing. Plus, two regulations are specifically written to address FRC design, testing and use.

Fall Protection PPE

With the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in the UK (followed by the amended work at height regulations 2007), the old guidance based on the ‘2 metre rule’ has been swept away, replaced by the definition of work at height as any place a ‘person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury’.

From Bullet Proof to Flame Resistant - Quality testing and certification of protective clothing

Protective clothing offers the wearer reliable protection against health risks and environmental effects related to their job which cannot be avoided in their line of work. In Germany, for example, protective clothing amounts to about 40% of the total market for personal protection equipment (PPE), thus being the biggest individual business segment for PPE, followed by hand protection (22%) and protective footgear (14%).1

Hearing Protectors - Real-world attenuation and new rules for selection and use in Germany

The sound attenuation of hearing protectors in the field is often significantly smaller than determined from laboratory testing.

Thin Nitrile Gloves

Examination gloves have traditionally been manufactured from natural rubber latex because the technology is relatively easy and the product is exceptionally soft and comfortable in use. So what are the drivers to seek alternative materials?

Acceptance of Safety Footwear

Insufficient acceptance of safety shoes in the workplace challenges optimization of this footwear category (18). Prejudices against safety footwear are inadequate comfort, little cushioning abilities or high weight. Moreover, overuse injury is directly related to poor quality or function of safety shoes (1, 10, 14, 24).

Industrial Head Protection - Risk Consciousness is finding it's way into the workplace

We cannot always avoid risks, but when we do need to take them there is a huge difference between being brave and being fool-hardy. Not before time, a new risk consciousness is finding its way into the workplace and attitudes against properly protecting yourself are being superseded by more intelligent viewpoints, and the result of this change has been a growing demand for extra protection.

Seams Ridiculous ...

Martin Lill of Lakeland Industries looks at the whole issue of seam structure for disposable chemical protective garments.

Above the Neck - Protection of the head, face, vision and hearing

It really goes without saying that the protection of the head, face, vision and hearing in many working environments is of paramount importance. This is due to the importance and sensitivity of these areas and the potential consequences should any of these areas be damaged. Many of the required protective equipment can be fitted into one device - the helmet. However sometimes it is impractical, uncomfortable or just unavailable to the user.

Cut & Puncture Protective Gloves

Protective gloves represent one of the most common and most often used measures of personal protective equipment. Their role is to protect hands against various hazards, including, among others, thermal, mechanical, chemical, biological and electric ones, often combined, thus imposing onto the gloves the requirement of multiple protection.

Industrial Protection

New International Standards for fire protective clothing

Racing to Improve Head Protection

An accident in July in which a young man's life was saved by a safety helmet was witnessed on TV by millions of people. Felipe Massa was driving in the Hungarian Grand Prix when a spring from another car impacted the side of his helmet and fractured his skull. A new helmet regulation issued five years earlier that introduced a combination of new design and materials to improve protection levels by 50 per cent, had spared his life.

Protective Footwear [Sept 2009]

No matter what the country or the type of industry, slips, trips and falls remain one of the biggest international causes of workplace injuries and an almost constant challenge for those responsible for worker safety.

In The Blink Of An Eye

Protecting Against Potential Eye Hazards

The Useful Life of PPE

It is vitally important that any item of personal protective equipment (PPE) performs adequately throughout its lifetime. User instructions supplied with the item usually include advice to visually inspect and check for physical damage, but in some cases it is not possible to assess if a product still provides the same level of protection as when new.

Eye Protection

European legislation was revolutionised by the 'New Approach'; introduced in 1985 in order to create a European market by removing the remaining barriers to trade. The only condition to allow the free circulation of the goods is that the manufacturer guarantees that his products put on the EU market are in compliance with the corresponding EU regulation and provide a high level of protection to EU Citizens.

Effectiveness of PPE

Even if global prevention approaches have been developed by prevention and health and safety institutions to reduce the risks posed by chemicals in general and phytosanitary substances / plant protection products in particular, one can’t help but notice that the prevention measures which are most often implemented consist of using PPE. Despite the fact that regulatory bodies and common health and safety sense clearly favour other means of prevention - such as collective prevention or administrative controls - what actually happens is that they are scarcely used. This is due to several reasons, the costs of non PPE control measures often exceed the investment capacity of farmers, some of the technologies are ill-suited to the agricultural industry. The effectiveness of PPE in real-life conditions is thus all the more important as they often are the only, and not the last resort to protect people and reduce risk. PPE effectiveness in agriculture is an occupational and public health stake that also poses the question of legal responsibility.

Put Safety First

Personal and collective roof edge protection - The HSE Shattered Lives campaign urges companies to make rooftop safety a priority. With falls from height still the most common cause of workplace injury and fatality, it’s important for health and safety professionals to make the right choice in safety systems.

Heightened Safety [Jan 2009]

Height and safety (yes, the title of this article is a play on words) are often enforced bedfellows when they should be inseparable. Of course, no-one should be working at height without extensive training and strict operational procedures but the ebb and flow of the annual HSE accident statistics for this sector suggests the battle for the routine delivery of responsible behaviour when operating at great height or in areas of difficult access has not yet been won.

Fall Arrest

It is well documented and acknowledged within the HS industry that falls account for the majority of HS related fatalities and injuries in the workplace and foremost in the construction sector. However, certainly in the Middle East, we all see instances where proper fall arrest measures are either ignored or just not in place, nearly on a daily basis. But saying this we must remember that fall arrest systems used poorly can be as dangerous as no protection at all.

Protection for Industrial Workers

Between 1995 and 1997, three specifications for fire protective clothing for industrial workers were introduced in Europe as EN standards. They covered most industrial activities in which intense heat and/or flame may be hazards to which workers are exposed. Since about 2000 the development of a second generation of these three standards has been progressing by co-operation between European (CEN) and international (ISO) standardisation bodies so that in 2008 the last of them was completed.

Safety Footwear [May 2009]

The European Union and the United States of America are the world’s largest safety footwear market. Both have comprehensive legislation covering the workplace environment and performance requirements for safety footwear. Although other parts of the world have different legislation, the industrial hazards are generally very similar. Regardless of country, protective and safety footwear often incorporates similar features, such as safety toecaps and under-foot protection. More specialist footwear has been developed to protect against other physical risks, such as cutting by chainsaws, or environmental hazards associated with chemicals, heat and electricity.

Industrial Noise

The environment we live in is a massive issue and one that’s having a growing impact on all our lives, and everyone’s being encouraged to play their part.

Ranking PPE

Protective clothing used in the explosives industry Part 1 of this paper1 considered the ranking of body clothing employed as personal protective equipment (PPE) for explosives workers, when evaluated using a moving manikin. The apparatus, explosives sources used and calculation method were all the same in the present study, which examines the performance of a range of protective headwear.

Safety Footwear [April 2009]

Feet have a tough job to do in working life, a fact that is overlooked all too often. Prolonged standing, walking, climbing, handling heavy machinery, falling objects, and slippery or sharp surfaces are just some of the many workplace hazards that feet may be exposed to on a daily basis. According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics, slips and trips account for the highest number of work-related major injuries across all industry sectors, while TUC figures show that over two million sick days are lost every year owing to lower limb disorders.

Don't Make a Spectacle of Yourself

The wearing of eye and face protection in hazardous areas is a requirement under Regulation 4 of the Personal Protective Equipment Work Regulations 1992 that requires employers to provide suitable personal protective equipment to employees who may be exposed to risks to their health and safety.

Protective Gloves [2009]

The Middle East has some of the most dynamic emerging markets anywhere in the world, and is developing into one of the world’s leading areas for technological investment, alongside China and India. In addition to the oil and oil-related industries, construction, agriculture, textiles, leather products, scientific instruments and defence equipment are all growing sectors.

Training in PPE - Proper Use is Vital

In the construction industry, falls have been the most prevalent cause of worker deaths. In a study of construction worker fatalities occurring between 1985 and 1989, 33% of fatalities were attributed to falls (OSHA, 1990). More recent studies reveal that the number of fatalities attributed to falls has increased to about 36%.

Proper Selection of PPE

At many workplaces for example in the construction industry, the application of technical or organisational protection measures is often not possible. That is the reason why in the “hierarchy of prevention measures” the lowest risk control method, the proper selection of personal protective equipment (PPE) is so important.

Protective Eyewear

Preventing optical damage through welding - Several forms of eyewear exist for protection of the eye. Sunglasses are frequently used to reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the eye. The main casual use of sunglasses is to reduce glare by decreasing the luminance of visible radiation reaching the eye. Sunglasses also attenuate ultraviolet (UV) radiation, but the degree of attenuation is not apparent by visual inspection of the lenses. Several countries have standards specifying the classification of sunglasses for the general use according to their UV transmittance.

Welding Precautions

This article looks at the safety aspects of different types of welding processes and assesses precautions to be taken. Welding necessitates careful risk assessment and the provision of good procedures, but it is not difficult to provide protection for welders that makes the job no more hazardous than any other workshop practice.

Protective Glove

Hands are an important part of our anatomy and most of us would consider them vital for virtually every activity that we are involved in, from driving the car to cooking a meal. However, because they are in such common use, they are frequently exposed to the risk of injury. As one of the extremities of the body, they are also particularly vulnerable to hostile environments such as cold climates. Hand injuries account for nearly 10% of hospital accident and emergency department visits, with the most common causes of injury being blunt trauma (50%) followed by injury from a sharp object (25%).

Simulation Testing

Assessing protective clothing for the explosive industry - Following an ignition in a fireworks production facility, work was done to quantify the size, duration and thermal emissive power of fireballs produced when different quantities of a range of pyrotechnic compositions are ignited. This study was subsequently followed by an equivalent investigation relating to propellants

Use of Eye Protection

The eyes are particularly vulnerable to injury from impact or foreign bodies and, as they are also the only soft entrance to the brain, the use of suitable eye protection may not merely save a person’s sight, but also their life.

Respiratory Protection [November 2008]

Expanding upon the European Directive 98/24/EC of April 19981, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) updated the Controls Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations in November 2002 and included the requirement that any RPE supplied by the employer is Fit Tested with the wearer.

Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

Every week 20 tradesmen die from asbestos related diseases - and the number is set to increase over the next few years. Steve Coldrick, Director of the Disease Reduction Programme with the Health and Safety Executive explains why a major campaign “Asbestos: The Hidden Killer” will be launched in October to raise awareness of the real risk that tradesmen face.

Can You Keep A Cool Head

In a previous HSI article (October 2006 - “If you want to keep your head, wear the right hat”) I wrote about head protection. The topics covered included causes of head injury, how and when helmets protect you, regulations and standards, types of helmet and SUCAM (Selection, Use, Care And Maintenance). This article provides a selection of some more useful and (hopefully) interesting points about head protection not covered in my previous article.

Protective Clothing [Oct 2008]

The European Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directives, published in 1989 and obligatory since the mid 1990s, have led to the development and use of a very wide range of European (EN) specifications for PPE.

The Credit Crunch

As the price of oil remains high, more and more companies who have staved off price increases for as long as they can, are now having to capitulate. Recession seems to be ever closer, but companies in the industrial sector considering ways to economise should not compromise Personal Protective Equipment budgets.

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection is an urgent priority across Europe and the USA, where legislative changes have increased the need for simple measuring technology and consistent hearing protection products. This article looks at the Law, and the formula for staying on it’s right side.

Fall Arrest Equipment Selection

Of all the sectors of the safety market Fall Protection is one of the most complex, with every different scenario requiring a different solution. It is also one of the least understood and most often poorly addressed areas of personnel safety - while still remaining one of the few sectors where the result of a wrong decision will almost certainly result in the death of a worker should they fall.

Breathing Apparatus

In this article, we will explore the development of respiratory protective equipment (RPE). We will look at its uses over the years, up to and including the latest designs, features and developments; many of which have resulted from lessons learned as a result of tragic events and loss of life.

Breathing In Breathing Out

Using breathing apparatus (BA) should always be considered a final option, taken out of necessity. There are good reasons for this, not least of which is that it only protects the person wearing it. Other workers are potentially at risk and it is far better to remove the hazard by all practicable means than to resort to using BA.

Going Down in the World - Safely

In April 2007, a new International Standard for descending devices, ISO 22159, was published, without fanfare, after development over a period of nearly six years. This article gives an insight into the work involved in producing what is probably the most comprehensive standard for descending devices ever published.

HSI's Gas Detection FORUM

The fourth of our five manufacturers forums for 2008 concentrates on the field of gas detection. Once again we approached manufacturers from around the world with the same questions and these are the answers we received.

HSI's Protective Eyewear FORUM

Welcome to the July issue's manufacturer forum, this time on Protective Eyewear. We are confident that you will be able to glean much important and interesting information from the following answers to help you in your quest for a safer working environment.

Prevention of Electrostatic Risks

Static electricity is an everyday phenomenon - there can be few of us who have not experienced a static shock after walking across a room and touching the doorknob, or on getting out of a car. Static electricity also helps parts of our everyday life by its applications: photocopying, painting, pulverisation, de-dusting, etc. Directly related to the atomic structure of the materials used or treated in industry, it is created spontaneously, under certain conditions, during operations of manufacture or handling. Static electricity can build up rapidly on objects, in unexpected ways, to produce surprisingly high voltages.

Respiratory Protection [May 2008]

In order to begin to prevent injuries to the respiratory system it is vital to understand and realise what level of airborne particulate or other elements are present in the working environment and of what type.

Working at Height [May 2008]

A Problem or an Opportunity? If we can’t avoid working at heights, follow the hierarchy for managing risks from work at height – take steps to avoid, prevent or reduce risks.

Coming Clean

Having worked in the manufacture and sale of disposable coveralls for over fifteen years I have seen many ideas, products and fabrics come and go in a market that has evolved considerably since the early days when, if the stories are true, a bright young technician in a lab somewhere spotted some high density polyethylene fibres bursting from a crack in a pipe and as a result went off and developed, eventually, the first disposable coveralls that became known popularly, despite the best efforts of the marketing men, as 'paper' overalls.

Face Fit Testing RPE

UK Face Fit Testing Legislation is now nearly five years old. All UK employees who wear tight-fitting respiratory protective equipment (RPE) should, by now, have a certificate to prove that the protective equipment they wear during work not only fits them, but also affords them the effective protection necessary for the task being performed. However, research indicates that this is not the case.

Hearing Protectors

The importance of the proper assessment of PPE characteristics

HSI's Height FORUM

We offered height safety manufacturers the opportunity to explain what they think are the most essential considerations when selecting this important area of PPE, what developments they are particularly proud of and how they see the market progressing in the future.

Staying on Your Feet

Over the years safety footwear has advanced from steel toe capped boots, into a large and expanding business. This is good for choice and cost, but can be a bit of a nightmare for employers trying to select suitable protective footwear for their employees.

Portable Safety Lighting

Portable safety lighting for use in explosive atmospheres has undergone many changes in recent years. Design standards have been subject to regular review and update, the ATEX Directives have been introduced; combined, these have brought about more onerous design and manufacturing requirements and greater standards of safety. Technology is moving at a pace, the development of battery, electronic control and LED technology offering real benefits to users.

Protecting Your Skin [April 2008]

How to prevent dermatitis - In my role as an occupational physician I frequently see employees who have problems with dermatitis related to work. Given that most work involves extensive use of the hands, it is not surprising that the main area affected is the hands and forearms.

Quality Head Protection

Exceeds current safety standards by up to x3+ JSP Ltd, a British company based in Oxford, is recognised as a leading independent manufacturer of Personal Protective Equipment, Spill and Janitorial Products and Road Safety Equipment. They are dedicated to developing quality, innovative products that meet the latest legislation and provide people with the protection and comfort they need in their lives and workplace.

Disposable Gloves in the Workplace

For many applications in the workplace we wear disposable gloves, to the extent that for many people they have become an everyday feature of working life. Disposable gloves come in all sorts of colours, while the different materials they are made of also seem to be growing. For a product that shares such a high level of intimacy with our working life, it may come as a surprise that few of us take the time to understand their purpose. This article will therefore review glove barrier properties in the workplace and why gloves really are our first line of defence.

Modern Safety Workware

Modern clothing for the workplace has to satisfy a wide range of different requirements. It must be ideally suited to specific working conditions, promote a sense of identification with the company and be accepted unreservedly by the wearers. This applies particularly to textiles for personal protection equipment (PPE), because this can only do its job if it is worn correctly.

Hand in Glove

Chemicals coming into contact with the skin can cause diseases on the skin or elsewhere in the body due to skin absorption of chemicals. The hands are the most exposed and affected parts of the skin. Approximately 80 per cent of all work-related skin disease on the hands is irritant and allergic contact dermatitis. Skin absorption of chemicals can cause poisoning and several diseases such as cancer, nervous system disorders and kidney diseases. To protect workers from effects of skin exposure to hazardous chemicals, the UK industry uses thousands of pairs of chemical protective gloves each year, costing millions of pounds to purchase, store, use and dispose of.

HSI's Footwear FORUM

We offered footwear manufacturers the opportunity to explain what they think are the most important considerations when selecting this major piece of PPE, what developments they are particularly proud of and how they see the market progressing in the future.

Manikin Assesses PPE

Following an ignition in a fireworks production facility1, work was done to quantify the size, duration and thermal emissive power of fireballs produced when different quantities of a range of pyrotechnic compositions are ignited2. This study was subsequently followed by an equivalent investigation relating to propellants3.

Portable Gas Detection

Minimising workers risk to atmospheric hazards - There are a large number of occupations that require the entry to a confined space. A definition of a confined space varies in the legislation from one country to another, but the differences in effect are slight. In essence it is a space that is large enough to enter and perform work but has limited or restricted means for entry and exit and is not designed for continuous human occupancy. Anyone entering such a space by virtue of its enclosed nature is at increased risk of being overcome by toxic fumes, vapour and oxygen deficiency, drowning, extreme temperature or explosion.

Fall Arrest

Over the past five decades the Height Safety Industry has undergone a progressive change to deal with situations where personnel are required to work in areas once deemed safe, but now considered to need regulation. There have been a constant series of developments, from the use of waist belts with short rope lanyards and chain lanyards in the 1980's to the vast array of different shock absorbing devices and full body harnesses now available. Only a handful of key manufacturers have consistently provided the innovations that have led the Height Safety Industry to where is it today.

Safety Eyewear

Protecting eyes against high speed particle impact - Most forms of safety eyewear available in Europe have been assessed for protection against high speed particles. SATRA's Austin Simmons explains the testing process and the context of European legislation and standards.

Confined Spaces

A number of people are killed or seriously injured in confined spaces each year. This happens in a wide range of industries, from those involving complex plant to simple storage vessels. Those killed include not only people working in the confined space but those who try to rescue them without proper training and equipment.

Fall Arrest Equipment

Of all the sectors of the safety market Fall Arrest is one of the most complex, with every different scenario requiring a different solution and a different level of understanding. It is also one of the least understood and most often poorly addressed areas of personnel safety, whilst remaining one of the few sectors where the result of a wrong product decision or poor working method will almost certainly result in the death of a worker should a fall occur.

Protective Gloves [2007]

Appropriately selected gloves can provide users with invaluable protection against hazards that might otherwise cause injury. In order to achieve the best possible protection, however, it’s important to understand how gloves for protective applications are categorised and certified.

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection is your final stop on the journey to control workplace noise and prevent people losing or damaging their hearing. Only when practical and managerial controls to reduce the intensity and duration of noise exposure have been exhausted should you consider hearing protection as anything more than a temporary measure.

Protective Helmets

Design principles, safety and performance SATRA is one of Europe’s foremost European Notified Bodies for certifying protective helmets, and is able to carry out testing and EC type examination work using established European standards or in house developed test specifications. Deputy Chief Executive, Austin Simmons explains design principles and the tests involved.

Get a Foot Hold

The use of safety footwear in the workpace can often be seen as a tricky issue for employers, but it really doesn't need to be if risk assessments are carried out and applied.

Hearing Protection

European EN 352 standards define testing methods for hearing protectors which satisfy the basic requirements of European legislation based on the New Approach. The basic requirements for the design, manufacture and use of hearing protectors against the harmful effects of noise are in Directive 89/686/EEC on Personal Protective Equipment of 21 December 1989. Directive 2003/10/EEC of 6 February 2003 defines the minimum health and safety requirements for workers regarding noise exposure.

Protective Workwear [Jul 2007]

Safe solutions for antistatic protective clothing To many people, static electricity is little more than the shock experienced when touching a metal doorknob after sliding across a car seat or walking a carpeted room. But in the petrochemical and gas industries workers are often exposed to explosive and flammable conditions and the danger of Static electricity. The same is valid for firemen. Other examples are vehicle paint spraying workplaces, workplaces were handling fine organic dust such as grain flour takes place. In these environments you easily have flammable atmospheres. They occur when gasses, vapours, or powders are mixed with air.

Diffusion of Light

One of the most sensitive and complex measurements on protective eyewear is that of the diffusion of light through the lens. Diffusion must be tested for all eyewear certified to EN 166:2001. It occurs when light passing through a transparent ocular (lens) is scattered and spreads in all directions.

EN388 Standard

The development of standards to compare the performance of PPE products has significantly improved the ability of safety managers to select appropriate PPE. From chemical resistance to fire and flame resistance, the standards have helped us determine the appropriate product for a given application. However, the standards cannot be solely relied on when making a decision. An adequate assessment must be made of how the standard should apply to the specific use. In other words, we need to use common sense. Nowhere is this more relevant than in the blade cut and the puncture tests associated with EN388.

Let There Be Light

During the last decade, portable lamps have faced some radical changes when it comes to the requirements set for their features - mainly because of the many directives of the European Union and also because of new innovations. The most radical one has been the ATEX Directive, this directive refers to any equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Protective Workwear [April 2007]

Ways to CE marked products The beginning of the 1990s, when the Council Directive 89/686/EEC on personal protective equipment (PPE) came into effect, there was a shift to make protective clothing true PPE. Since then protective clothing has grown to be the largest sector of the PPE market in Western Europe1. The new regulations and standards have bolstered this growth. Furthermore, increased emphasis on protecting people from occupational and leisure related hazards has necessitated the development of different and often more complex protective clothing.

Inspection of Height PPE

ppe, personal protective equipment, fall protection, working at height

Protect Your Welders

This article looks at the safety aspects of different types of welding processes and assesses precautions to be taken. Welding necessitates careful risk assessment and the provision of good procedures, but it is not difficult to provide protection for welders that makes the job no more hazardous than any other workshop practice.

Protective Clothing [Jan 2007]

The start of the 1990s saw the establishment of a vast structure of committees in Europe tasked with creating test methods and product specifications to enable PPE including protective clothing to be CE marked. BTTG Fire Technologies (FTS) became closely involved in this process at its start with respect to clothing to protect against heat and flame, work that it continues to do today. The first generation of product specifications are now being updated sometimes jointly by the European Standards body (CEN) and its international equivalent (ISO). This article discusses the development process, sets out the key standards and indicates revised and new standards expected in 2007.

Testing for Protection

Eye-related injuries are prevalent in industry. In the UK it is estimated that almost one in ten workers employed in manufacturing industries and in agriculture, forestry and fishing will go to hospital in the course of the year as a result of a work-related accident. Of these, approximately 20% will be for eye-related injuries.

Gas Detection

Mines can be hazardous environments and the possibility of fire, flood, explosion, asphyxiation, toxic gas poisoning and collapse has the potential to simultaneously affect a large number of people.

CE Marking of PPE

Since the implementation of the European Personal Protective equipment (PPE) Directive in 1995, SATRA has become one of the leading Notified Bodies for CE marking of PPE intended for supply within Europe and has been influential in the development of PPE related test methods and safety standards. SATRA’s testing and certification services now extend across all areas of PPE - from head protection to safety footwear, and everything worn in between. This article is intended to provide a background to the PPE Directive.

Falls from Height

Although the total number of personnel being killed at work is on the decline, there are certain activities which are still of concern. Working at height, according to the HSE, remains the most common kind of accident in the workplace with falls from height accounting for nearly twenty five percent of deaths among workers across all industries.

Protect Your Head

This article gives an overview, including some of the aspects of head protection that are not so well known. The same principles of head protection apply wherever you are in the world, but I have used examples of European standards. As with any PPE, you can get detailed advice from manufacturers, suppliers and safety organizations and regulators; HSE in the UK1.

Do You Know Your WEL?

Understanding the hazards from welding fumes

Confined Space Entry

Poe, whilst writing his classic short story, succeeded in conjuring up a vision of "the pit" as a deep, dark place full of grotesque fates for those unfortunate enough to enter. In the modern health and safety context, "the pit" is just one example of the broad range of confined space entry scenarios. All of which are capable of bringing injury, illness and death to the unaware, untrained, unassessed and the unprepared.

Respiratory Protection [April 2006]

Changes in Europe within the field of respiratory protection against solid and liquid particles.

Eye Protection Devices

'Head down, straight on!' is seldom good advice

Protective Workwear [April 2006]

Protective work wear for various end-users

Safe Approach to Height

Many deaths and major injuries are easily avoidable if simple, sensible measures are taken to reduce the risk of a fall from height.

Protective Clothing [Jan 2006]

Protective clothing offers the wearer reliable protection against health risks and environmental effects related to their job which cannot be avoided in their line of work. In Western Europe, protective clothing and gloves amount to about 59.8% of the total market for personal protection equipment (PPE), an increase of 57.5% as compared to the year 2000. Protective clothing is thus the biggest individual business segment for PPE and will further increase in the future. Statistically, end consumers spend almost twice as much for protective clothing than for head protection, gloves or footgear1.

Above the Neck Protection

To prevent ourselves coming to injury or harm while going about our jobs, we are nowadays accustomed to using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to minimise exposure to hazardous substances and offer protection in case of an accident. However, personal protective equipment is not the only route that offers protection as good work practices and organisational controls can also be used as valid risk reduction techniques.

Respiratory Protection [October 2005]

The respiratory system is the main weak point of the body for the defence against hazardous airborne substances. Gases and vapours (e.g. corrosive gases, organic vapours), airborne solid particles (e.g. dust, fume), liquid aerosols (e.g. oil mist) and also biological agents can easily pass through the airways to the lungs.

The Skin Your In

Skin should help to keep our insides in, and the outside out. It should also be one of the ways in which we perceive the pleasurable sensations and enjoyments of the world. Too often, it can become an instrument of torture.

Eliminate The Risks

Under the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 employers have a legal duty to protect their employees (and anyone else affected) during their work activities.

Don't Fall Down on Protection!

Personal fall protection systems and equipment

Arc Protection

Electric arcs are a potential risk for people and plant. The protection against electric fault arcs is of largest importance for human injury while working in, at or near to electric power installations.

Measuring CO2 from Our Breathing Soil

The increase of the global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is by many scientists regarded as the most severe environmental problem we are facing today because of its impact on the global warming and consequential effects such as possible sea level rise, retreat of glaciers, changes in intensities of tropical cyclones and severe local storm activity.

Hand Protection

There is a great deal of confusion over the use of protective gloves throughout industry despite the efforts of glove manufacturers and COSHH legislation.

Head Protection Equipment

Every year many workers are killed or seriously injured in the construction industry as a result of head injuries. Wearing an appropriate safety helmet significantly reduces the risk of injury or even death. Protective headwear could save your life.

Confined Space Entry

When considering confined space entry procedure, employers integrate many factors into a plan to ensure the safety of all involved. In the UK under the Confined Spaces Regulations 19972, employers must first try to avoid the need for a confined space entry.

Eye Protection at a Glance

The fragile and vulnerable human eye is particularly susceptible to injury from the three main types of hazard encountered in the workplace, these being mechanical and chemical hazards as well as those due to radiation.

Fall Arrest

Fall arresting systems save many lives. Many tests and experiments are carried out in laboratory and on site to gain experience. This is a report from TÜV Austria, Notified Body under the European Directive for Personal Protective Equipment (89/686/EEC).

Respiratory Protective Equipment [July 2004]

Three out of four fire fatalities are caused by smoke inhalation and most lung and chest related diseases including cancers are a result of long-term exposure to various dusts, fumes or particle filled atmospheres.

Common Sense and Competence

How to Manage Asbestos (or from 21st May 2004: Why not to panic!)

Manual Welding

Ergonomics and musculoskeletal health

Protective Footwear [April 2004]

Wearing hiking boots to play soccer, ballet shoes for rugby or golf shoes for tennis would be unthinkable. For every sport there exists a shoe to prevent the musculoskeletal system of the foot from suffering injuries, wearing out or exhaustion. It is natural to wear a safe and proper sports shoe. The risks of injuries at work can be similar to those in sport. When it comes to parts of the body, the feet are one of the highest at risk to get injured in professional life, beaten into second place only by our hands.

Safe on Rail

Safety on railways is only achieved by a combined effort - the asset owner and employers provide the recognised safe systems for work with Rules for workers, signalmen and train drivers that are designed to protect the track worker.

Industrial Safety Helmets

Certification and testing

Selection of Hearing Protection

In the European Union there are about 400 types of hearing protectors on the market. Proper selection of hearing protectors is very important because it is only those protectors that are worn during the entire exposure that are suitable to that particular application i.e. working environment and activity.

On-site Medical Response

What could be more important than making provision for your employees for when things go wrong? Although PPE covers most eventualities and easily prevents most incidents requiring medical treatment there are occasions when these defences are breached. This article, split into three parts, aims to provide you with food for thought and solutions to potential problems.

Personal Protective Clothing

This article looks at the development of specifications and addresses the role of the end user in meeting obligations by using these specifications.

Rope Access Systems

This article argues the case for permanent rope access systems for the more mundane work associated with structures - their cleaning and maintenance

Eye Protection

Of all the personal senses perhaps the most precious is the sense of sight

The Heart of the Matter

Successfully protecting a workforce has moved beyond hard hats and rule books, says United Utilities. Health and safety has, quite rightly, worked its way onto and up the boardroom agenda over the last few years.

Arcing Fault Hazards and Worker Protection

Every year many workers are needlessly injured or killed due to electrical incidents. The impact on the workers, families, and businesses is significant. These deaths and injuries can and should be avoided.

ATEX Directives 94/9/EC and 99/92/EC

The Directive ATEX 94/9/EC of 23rd March 1994 on the approximation of the Laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres has been published on the official EC Gazette No.100 of 19th April 1994.

Fixed or Portable?

With so many terms for gas detection instrumentation cluttering the workplace, it is no wonder you can become confused when looking for information on gas detection equipment.

Respiratory Protection for Industry

Whilst circumstances will generally dictate which form of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is most suitable to a particular application, recent technological advancements have meant that there is now much more of a choice within those parameters.

Fall Arrest Equipment

Wayne Ellis discusses ongoing training, the latest techniques and the importance of quality equipment for an area that claims the lives of far too many workers and injures hundreds more; working safely at heights.

Protective Clothing for Industry

To try and cover all aspects of the modern field of protective clothing is an impossible task. Alex Gstettner discusses a couple of the newest innovations that have definite benefits for the industrial worker, both in safety and comfort.