Personal protective equipment – or PPE for short – is the collective name given to items of workwear and personal equipment designed specifically for the purpose of protecting the wearer against one or more safety hazard.
Whether it is stopping someone’s toes from being crushed by a falling object, preventing dust from getting into their eyes, or enabling them to handle sharp objects without fear of cutting their hands, your PPE works hard to keep your employees safe, happy and healthy at work.
But PPE can only do its job effectively if it is of good quality, adheres to safety standards and is used or worn as intended.
Ensure your PPE protects as expected with our guide to common PPE mistakes warehouses must avoid.
When it comes to common PPE mistakes companies make, most centre around the original purchasing decision. These include:
Buying cheap – focusing on low initial outlay per item
Budgeting too low overall – failing to understand what makes for good PPE
Purchasing non-conforming PPE – by missing the warning signs
Ignoring durability – leading to short replacement cycles
Not offering enough choice – assuming a ‘one size fits all’ approach
Not accounting for wearer comfort – causing issues getting employees to wear it
Additional missteps include:
Failing to rein in rogue spend – allowing employees to purchase PPE ‘off script’
Failing to ensure employees use and wear PPE as they should – leading to increased risk of accidents and injuries
Failing to encourage employees to take good care of their PPE – leading to it wearing out or being discarded earlier than necessary
Common PPE mistakes to avoid
When it comes to buying workwear and PPE, it’s important to look at whole life costs, rather than focus on price per unit, which rarely tells the true story. Buying cheap will normally end up costing you more in the long run, as items are likely to be of lower quality and need to be replaced more often. If they don’t ‘wear well’ they might also quickly start to look scruffy, which won’t help your brand image or employee morale. Instead, focus on quality, durability and value for money and you’re very likely to end up spending less in the long term.
Find out more: Explore price per unit vs whole life costs over 18 months in the warehouse.
Beware of setting arbitrary figures for annual PPE spend that don’t take into account the reality of what you need to pay to keep your teams happy, healthy and safe at work. Comfort, durability and choice are all important things to consider when purchasing PPE, and a focus on these areas is likely to push up the price-per-unit cost above the minimum (but be worth the investment). With the likes of safety footwear able to last 18 months or more, it’s better to take a longer-term view of PPE costs.
We hope this will never happen to anyone but, sadly, it is a real risk when companies want a low cost per unit and then don’t set appropriate controls over their PPE spend. You get what you pay for, as the old saying goes!
To reduce the risk of getting caught out, look for the following:
PPE providers are required by UK law to ensure their products comply with relevant safety standards. Compliant PPE will be marked with either the UKCA or CE mark. It should be supplied with a declaration of conformity and instructions in English.
Items described as PPE that don’t meet this description are unlikely to protect the wearer and may land your company in trouble with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in the event of any accident or injury.
When it comes to purchasing PPE for the warehouse, durability is key. No one wants footwear that’s going to wear out after a few laps of the warehouse floor, or safety gloves that tear all the time. High quality, durable products might cost a little more at the outset, but that extra cost is worth it when you take into account the increased time between replacements. You should find your PPE costing you less in the long run.
You’ve probably heard the saying: ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ and that’s certainly true of PPE. Most items will come in a range of sizes to fit different body shapes; and there will be different fits for men and women, ensuring workers of both genders are comfortable and protected in the workplace. This is for good reason: many items of PPE can only protect the wearer against the designated hazard if they fit properly, i.e. with the protective features in the right place, snugly but not too tight. So beware of bulk purchasing an ‘average’ size – you might be setting yourself up for problems.
Providing a choice of PPE wherever possible should help your individual employees to find a size and fit that feels comfortable for them. Where you can, it may also be helpful to provide more thoughtful choices, such as a branded sweat-wicking hi-vis t-shirt for summer instead of a standard hi-vis vest over a branded polo shirt, or safety footwear specifically designed for a certain job role. This is because employees that feel comfortable in their PPE are more likely to wear it, and to work at their best while doing so.
You can plan for your employees to only wear high quality, durable and comfortable PPE, but if you don’t have appropriate controls in place to stop them purchasing their own items ‘off script’ you run the risk of all that being for nothing. One of the best ways to rein in rogue spend is to allocate your employees a personal budget and provide them with an approved product list to choose from, all managed and documented through an online ordering platform. Most big workwear and PPE suppliers will offer this service. You can find out more about our own platform, Control-iT, here.
PPE is designed to protect the wearer against a specific hazard, and it goes without saying that if someone that isn’t wearing PPE encounters that hazard, they are likely to get injured or become ill as a result. Protect your employees by making wearing their PPE a non-negotiable rule. Educate them on its importance in the workplace, and follow up with regular reminders to avoid people becoming complacent over time.
PPE can only work as intended to protect the wearer if it is kept in good working order. Dirty, damaged items may not be as effective and could fail altogether, with potentially serious consequences. For your PPE to work at its best, it should be kept clean and dry, inspected regularly for signs of damage, and stored carefully when not in use. Where your employees are responsible for their own PPE, ensure they understand the importance of looking after it. Carry out regular inspections and have consequences in place for those found wearing substandard items.
Staying safe in the warehouse starts with having the right PPE in place to protect your employees against workplace hazards. By avoiding making these common PPE mistakes, you’ll be helping ensure your teams stay safe and can work at their best.
If you need help selecting the right PPE for your warehouse team, why not give us a call? You can also view our extensive range of products in our online store.