Speaking to a client about their workwear and PPE the other day, I mentioned that we have safety gloves in our range that will last for two months with proper care, writes Clive Grinnell. The client laughed and asked me if I was serious, which got me thinking.
Have you ever been told by a supplier that products will last a certain amount of time, only to think inwardly (or laugh outwardly!): “No chance! That will never happen where I work”?
If so, then you need to read on…
Long-lasting safety gloves – no unicorns here
A safety glove that lasts two months might sound like a unicorn (i.e. something highly desirable but difficult to find or achieve) to some, but it is more than a possibility – it is a reality for lots of businesses out there.
We know because we supply them!
The safety gloves we recommend to our customers are made from high quality materials by established manufacturers with robust and consistent manufacturing processes. They are designed to withstand the rigours of everyday wear in the most demanding of logistics roles.
Providing they are properly maintained by the wearer, and with the additional purchase of a low-cost belt clip to prevent them from getting lost during breaks, these safety gloves really can consistently last for two months or even more before needing to be replaced.
Saving money with longer-lasting safety gloves
We talk often about how investing in higher quality safety gloves may mean a higher price-per-pair, but will ultimately result in a lower price-per-wear when savings are viewed over the longer term.
However, this assumes that your workforce is ready to accept a better-quality safety glove.
Achieving the maximum lifespan from workwear and PPE requires a certain mindset – one of minimising waste and maximising usefulness. If your workforce is accustomed to throwing away gloves at the end of a shift, or when they’re dirty, you can’t expect the habit to change overnight just because you introduce a better-quality glove – especially if your business hasn’t signalled its shifting priorities.
Three steps to saving money on safety gloves
So, what’s the answer?
Saving money on safety gloves requires three things of a business:
- Culture change from a throwaway mindset to one which values maximising the useful lifespan of workwear and PPE.
Reinforced by:
- Appropriate controls on the supply of gloves to your workforce that make it easy for your employees to comply.
Our tip: Vending machines activated by individual employee cards are not a cost-effective option for logistics businesses employing hundreds of people on daily shifts. Instead, opt for an IT-managed stock control system that allows team leaders to book out a designated allocation for their team, then not order any more without special dispensation until the appropriate length of time has passed.
- Introducing better-quality safety gloves
Once you have successfully tackled steps 1 and 2 above, you can proceed to introduce better-quality safety gloves that will last longer and cost you less in the long-run, safe in the knowledge that your investment won’t be wasted.
To find out more about our IT-managed stock allocation and ordering portal, Control-iT, you can give our team a call or check out our dedicated website pages.
