The Importance of PPE in the workplace

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, protects the user from any physical harm or hazards in the workplace environment. It is a precautionary measure for industries known to be more dangerous, like manufacturing and mining. It is critical to understand that on-the-job safety equipment should comply with Personal Protective Equipment Regulations. PPE is most effective when it is the correct size, fit, and height of the user. While you may be used to being put in dangerous situations on the job, you should never feel as if your physical well-being is in danger. This is why workplace PPE is essential.

Avoid being liable for your own injuries

A common stumbling block that workers’ compensation attorneys face frequently is an employee’s refusal to wear PPE, even though their employer provided it. As a result, liability for a workplace illness or injury is often ambiguous. It varies by case, but faithfully using all PPE provided on the job is the best way to ensure that your employer will bear the full liability if an injury or illness occurs as a direct result. Even if the job only takes a few minutes, you should never allow PPE exemptions. The worst-case scenario is being found partially responsible in a court of law for your own workplace illness or injury caused by a failure to use PPE. As an employee, you should be fully informed about which equipment is required for which tasks and what it is intended to protect.

Prevent long-term conditions

Feeling fine at the end of your shift does not imply that you have adequately protected your body. Workplace exposure to various chemicals and compounds can have long-term effects on your body, with mesothelioma being a prime example. Exposure to asbestos fibres used in the construction of materials in various industries is responsible for most of the diagnoses of this rare form of cancer. According to current safety regulations, asbestos workers must now wear specific PPE and shower and change before leaving the workplace. However, there was no link between asbestos exposure and cancer before the current regulation. As a result, many of these daily mesothelioma cases occurred when we didn’t know as much about the disease. Workers should take advantage of today’s medical knowledge about risk factors and use PPE to protect their health and well-being, now and in the future.

Eyes are irreplaceable

One of the most common and effective forms of PPE is safety glasses. This is because any substance, corrosive or not, and any material, sharp or not, can be hazardous when it comes into contact with your eyes. Every year millions of eye injuries occur at work and during leisure activities leading to partial or complete vision loss for many of these victims. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), safety eyewear could have prevented 90% of these eye injuries. Because a significant number of eye injuries occur in manufacturing, construction, or trade jobs, it is critical to recognise that different types of PPE eyewear are available for different situations.

Improve your workday

Consider PPE as a support system for the work that your job requires of you. It may be more physically demanding or slightly more dangerous than the average desk job, but the equipment provided will make you feel as if the physical risk is minimal. Weight belts, for example, provide stability for duties that require heavy lifting, and they could mean the difference between having to go to work with strained muscles the next day or not. Measures should be taken to prevent simple trip and fall injuries.

Contact MiCan Industrial Supplies for details

Thank you for choosing MiCan Industrial Supplies as your preferred supplier of high-quality tools, products, and services. We offer a comprehensive range of PPE, and our extensive experience and reputable partners can guarantee excellent customer and after-sales service and the best on-time delivery. If you would like to know more about our comprehensive offers on specialised and affordable high-quality tools, please get in touch with a MiCan Industrial Supplies representative for industrial and wholesale supply solutions.