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Workers Jeopardize Health and Safety by Failing to Wear Required Safety Equipment

Survey of Safety Professionals Finds High Rate of Noncompliance with PPE Protocols

By Gina Tsiropoulos

In a recent survey by KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, 89 percent of safety professionals said they had observed workers not wearing safety equipment when they should have been. Twenty-nine percent said this had happened on numerous occasions.

This high rate of noncompliance with PPE protocols presents a serious threat to worker health and safety. While the reasons for noncompliance are varied, the threat to workers is clear-cut. Without the proper use of PPE, they are at risk of serious injury or even death.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of personal protective equipment to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective. Yet, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that of the workers who sustained a variety of on-the-job injuries, the vast majority were not wearing PPE.

It is therefore no surprise that 78 percent of respondents said workplace accidents and injuries were the concerns most likely to keep them up at night.

Worker compliance with safety protocols was also cited as the top workplace safety issue. Twenty-eight percent of respondents chose this, while 21 percent selected "fewer workers." "Insufficient management support for health and safety functions" and "meeting the safety needs of an aging workforce" tied at 18 percent. Lack of funds to implement safety programs was last at 8 percent.

Given the importance of PPE in ensuring worker safety, the survey examined the reasons for such high levels of noncompliance. Of those respondents who observed PPE noncompliance in the workplace, 69 percent said the primary cause was workers thinking that PPE wasn't needed. This was followed by:

• Uncomfortable
• Too hot
• Poor fit
• Not available near work task
• Unattractive looking

The Future of Workplace Safety
What measures have safety managers taken or plan to take in the near future to encourage greater PPE compliance? The top strategies were: improving existing education and training programs (61 percent) and increased monitoring of employees (48 percent). These were followed by:

• Purchasing more comfortable PPE
• Tying compliance to individual performance evaluations
• Purchasing more stylish PPE
• Developing incentive programs

Most Challenging PPE
When it comes to compliance with PPE protocols, eye protection was found to be the "most challenging" PPE category, according to 24 percent of respondents. This was a disturbing though not unexpected finding considering that nearly three out of five workers who experienced eye injuries were found not to be wearing eye protection at the time of the accident or were wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job.¹Add to this the fact that that thousands of workers are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented² and the magnitude of the problem becomes clear.

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Impact Resistance: Protective Eyewear

A look at the standards, and how they compare

By Philip M. Johnson, Director of Technology, Sperian Eye & Face Protection, Inc.

Background
Historically, impact resistance has been regulated by agencies like FDA since the early 1970s for products furnished through medical and retail channels, such as sunglasses and prescription eyewear. It is simply a drop ball test where a 5/8 inch steel ball is dropped free-fall through a tube from a height of 50 inches onto the lens surface.

For protective eyewear meant for industrial or occupational use, the governing document is ANSI Z87.1, and it has been in existence, through several iterations, for almost 40 years. OSHA in its regulations (see CFR 1910.133) specifically cites Z87.1 as the minimum performance requirement for protective eyewear, effectively giving it the weight of law. Where a hazard assessment in the workplace indicates that eye/face protection is needed, such protection must be provided, and it must comply with this ANSI standard.

Selecting eyewear that meets or exceeds a variety of standards will afford reliable protection against hazards that are present in the workplace.

Originally, Z87.1 also specified a drop-ball test with the difference being an increase in the ball diameter to 1 inch for most lens types. Glass lenses at least 3mm (1/8 inch) thick and properly treated, could meet this test. Plastic lenses also were required to pass a penetration test wherein a weighted needle is dropped 50 inches onto the product. The lens cannot fracture or be pierced.

In 1989, the standard was upgraded to add elevated impact and lens retention tests in addition to the basic drop ball requirement. Technology, articularly the advent of polycarbonate plastic as a high performance lens material, drove this change. It recognized that more robust products could be designed which would be a benefit to those needing to wear protective eyewear where significant impact hazards existed.

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Miller TurboLite Personal Fall Limiters

Never need a shock-absorbing lanyard AGAIN!

The cost-effective and competitive pricing of the new Miller TurboLite™ Personal Fall Limiters will make shock-absorbing lanyards obsolete on the jobsite. With the compact and lightweight TurboLite PFL, workers will no longer need to “switch-out” equipment to maintain a safe fall distance.

Miller TurboLite PFL features include:

• First affordable alternative to shock-absorbing lanyards
• Extremely compact and lightweight (1.9 lbs. [.86kg]) provides 6 ft. (1.8m) working capacity lifeline; unit attaches directly to the harness back D-ring for greater mobility and versatility
• Engineered webbing for greater abrasion resistance and long service life
• High-strength, impact-resistant nylon housing for maximum durability
• Built-in swivel prevents lifeline from twisting
• Rated for up to a 400 lb. (181.4kg) user
• No annual factory recertification required
• Meets global standards for international companies; meets all applicable OSHA, ANSI A10.32 and Z359-2007, and CSA standards

The benefits will have a positive impact on your safety concerns and your bottom line:

• Eliminates the need for different fall protection equipment to address fall clearance
• Reduces risk because workers are using the proper equipment when fall clearance changes
• Increases productivity by keeping workers on the job longer
• Miller TurboLite Personal Fall Limiters are competitively priced with shock-absorbing lanyards and will keep safety costs in line

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How Sqwincher Keeps Muscles Strong!

In industrial heat-stress environments, the body cools itself by perspiring. When this occurs, much more is lost than just water; magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium are also depleted. These minerals, or "electrolytes," are crucial to workers if they are to maintain healthy muscles and a productive energy level. Without electrolytes, workers become dehydrated and heat stress - or more serious injury - can be imminent. It's proven that water alone cannot sufficiently replace electrolytes to prevent heat stress. Pure water is absorbed slowly and cannot be retained in the extra cellular cavity. The rate of absorption of Sqwincher as compared with water is significantly faster in the first minute.

Be Cautious of other Sport and Energy Drinks!

Can other products created for a sports environment, where people are active for short periods on random days, be expected to perform in an industrial environment where workers are active up to eight hours a day, five days a week? Why take a chance? With 50 percent less sodium and approximately 50 percent more potassium than most sports drinks used in industry, Sqwincher gives workers one of the most effective electrolyte replacement drinks available.

For More Information Click HERE

Dyneema Gloves

See the Dyneema® gloves AGS Safety has in stock today

When used in protective gloves, the Dyneema® yarn provides cut resistance levels up to level 3 (EN388) and level 2 (ANSI) without using composite fibers. If the higher level of cut resistance is required, Dyneema® yarns can easily be combined with glass or steel fiber.

Protective gloves are often exposed to sharp objects that can abrade the gloves. And of course, the more a glove is abraded the less protection it offers. Tests have demonstrated that gloves made with Dyneema® have up to 20 times more abrasion resistance than gloves made, for example, with Aramid-based (spun) yarns. This leads to a constant protection while wearing the gloves made with Dyneema®.
(Info from www.gloveswithdyneema.com)