Checking and maintaining your PPE
It is vital to make sure your PPE is in good working order. Regular inspection and maintenance is required to ensure the equipment can keep people safe.
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) are encouraging PPE users to review their equipment and replace out of date or damaged items. A recent BSIF member survey has shown that expired and poorly maintained PPE is still in use across many workplaces in the UK.
Along with dirty high-visibility clothing and ripped workwear, the survey revealed frequent issues with damaged safety helmets and defunct respiratory protection.
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Safety helmets
The BSIF survey reported that safety helmets with severe wear and tear are commonly used in UK workplaces.
All safety helmets have a lifespan and must be replaced when expired. The user instruction leaflet details the helmet’s lifespan and how to check remaining life.
Inspecting the helmet regularly is crucial to identify signs of wear and tear. Components such as the harness and sweatband can be replaced with genuine spare parts supplied by the manufacturer. However if the shell is cracked or damaged, the entire helmet must be replaced.
Keeping the helmet clean helps with inspection, allowing damage and defects to be identified more easily, as well as ensuring the head protection remains hygienic.
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Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)
Another issue highlighted by the BSIF survey was the use of defunct respiratory protection, particularly disposable masks, which should have been replaced.
Disposable respirators have a shelf life and expiry date, after which they are no longer fit for use. The expiry date can be found on the packaging.
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In addition, disposable respirators marked ‘NR’ are only intended for short-term use and should be disposed of after a single shift (8 hours).
Disposable respirators are tight-fitting RPE, meaning wearers must be clean-shaven in the area of the face seal. Fit testing is also required to ensure that the mask is suitable for the wearer.
Reusable respiratory protection is subject to different maintenance requirements. Find out how to maintain reusable respirators.
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Other PPE
While the BSIF survey highlighted specific issues with helmets, respirators and clothing, it is also important to inspect other types of PPE.
Height safety equipment is subject to certain pre-use checks as well as inspection and servicing requirements. Depending on the type of product, different steps are necessary to ensure fall protection equipment is safe for use. Find out how to check your height safety PPE.
Hearing protection must be in good working order to provide the intended level of attenuation. Worn and damaged ear defenders may not fit or function properly, leaving the wearer at risk of hearing damage. Learn more about maintaining ear defenders.
Eye protection also needs to be maintained correctly. Safety spectacles, goggles and faceshields must be kept clean. Scratched or damaged oculars must be replaced. Discover how to clean and store eye protection.
?Looking after PPE is essential. Expired and damaged equipment can offer a false sense of security, making the wearer feel safe even when their PPE could fail to protect them. Check your PPE is in good working order to make sure it can provide protection when needed. For more information about PPE inspection and maintenance, contact [email protected].
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Manufacturer's Representative at The Sullivan Group
1 个月Great Info ??