Different Forms of PPE, Essay Example

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There is a need to either avoid exposing workers to extreme conditions or to compensate for these dangers through use of PPE. Many different forms of PPE are tailored to different job environments, and it is essential for employers to understand what types of PPE are necessary in different temperature conditions. As previously discussed in the article “Don’t Guess at Comfort”, there is a need to find an acceptable balance between flame resistant garments and thermal comfort. While the primary concern of the employer in this instance should be employee safety, this case is unique because the employee must be protected from flames in addition to the severe heat that these flames generate. This is difficult because there are few materials that are considered breathable and flame resistance. However, a compromise between the two must be made to ensure flame protection and prevention against worker dehydration. It is interesting to point out that controlling for different safety variables is essential in cold working conditions as well as hot.

While “Don’t Guess at Comfort” focuses on PPE in hot working conditions, Bill Reith the Director of Industrial Safety for Salisbury address the challenges electrical workers are faced with when choosing PPE. In his article “Comfort Follows Safety in Cold Weather”, he discusses the garment need of employees who work in cold weather. It is essential to stress that employers be able to define the hazards of the position to their employees and based on these standards provide suitable PPE. Even though this article defines useful ways to implement PPE in cold environments and those with electrical hazards, it is equally important to ensure that the PPE is being used correctly. As a consequence, employees should be constantly reminded of these hazards and how they could be avoided even without PPE. When employees are properly trained to understand hazards, PPE in a variety of environments will become even more effective. Ultimately PPE is a useful tool but its utility is limited if it is not used properly. An example of when proper PPE use is relevant is in the field of agriculture.

PPE in the field of agriculture is discussed in “Efficiency of Personal Protective Equipment Used in Agriculture”. For PPE to be truly effective, it is necessary to ensure that the development of new equipment is regularly performed and that its efficacy is reviewed. Furthermore, it is essential to understand when PPE should be replaced with new equipment when it is no longer able to perform adequately. The literature review found that, in some cases, it is the employee rather than the employer that pays for the PPE. This is true in both Brazil and the United States. Furthermore, there is a disparity between PPE developed for industrial use and PPE developed for agricultural use since most PPE is developed for the industry but is being used for agriculture. Therefore, more research must be done to improve the current PPE in the field of agriculture to ensure that it could protect the health and safety of workers. It is important to note that the difficulty of knowing when to replace PPE with new equipment when it is unable to perform adequately is relevant in a range of fields, not just in agriculture. The primary purpose of PPE is to ensure safety of the employee and this is not possible unless the PPE is certain to protect against all hazards that are included in its function. For example, if a fire worker’s PPE’s flame retardant capability begins to wear off, the worker may suffer burns. Therefore, it is essential to constantly examine PPE equipment to ensure that it is able to withstand its function. An additional concern in protecting agriculture workers is the specific PPE used. While many farm workers will be issued gloves to protect their hands, there is currently no significant level of protection against the harmful chemicals used in farm work.

Agriculture is discussed again in “The Use of Pesticides in French Viticulture: a badly controlled technology transfer”. This research is useful because it will allow the agriculture field to develop PPE that protects its workers from the harmful fumes of pesticides. While there is currently no standard available, it may be useful to implement “gas mask” like equipment to prevent chemical inhalation. In fact, many PPE that is used in other fields can be applied to agriculture. It is likely that as awareness of the need for PPE in the agricultural field increases, these materials will become more universally implemented. Adequate use of PPE in agriculture is essential because there are many hazards including heat and chemical exposure.

In “Release the Heat: PPE worn in hot environments can raise heat-related risk”, the issue of PPE in hot environments is again discussed. While some careers may allow for altered PPE that decreases retained heat, this is often not possible because safety is the first priority. Therefore, the worker must take the aforementioned steps to ensure his or her health. While many lifestyle decisions can assist employee safety, it is occasionally necessary for PPE to be implemented as well to support these precautions. Ultimately, it is essential for PPE to always be available to employees to prevent emergencies.

References

Antonio, M. L., Duarte, C. M., & Jose, F. (2012). Efficiency of personal protective equipment   used in agriculture. Work, 41, 14-18.

Clagg, B. (2012). Release the HEAT: PPE worn in hot environments can raise heat-related risks. Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, 46(4), 48-48. 

Child, A. (2012). Don’t Guess At Comfort. Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, 46(10), 74-75.

Garrigou, A., Isabelle, B., & Jackson, M. (2012). The use of pesticides in French viticulture: a badly controlled technology transfer!

Reith, B. (2008). Comfort follows safety w cold weather. Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, 42(12), 30-31.