There are a large number of industries that require personal protective equipment, more commonly known as PPE. However, choosing the right PPE can be a challenging task. When selecting PPE for your place of business, it is important to take the comfort of your employees into consideration.
When PPE is not comfortable, it distracts employees from the task at hand, which can lead to workplace injuries. You do not want to hear things like, “it fits too tight”, “it hurts to wear it” or “it gets too hot”. Therefore, it is critical that you choose PPE that fits comfortably and allows for sufficient airflow.
Proper Fit Is Required to Ensure Proper Function
If employees do not wear the PPE correctly, it will not function properly to keep them safe. In order to make sure the equipment is properly worn, it is important to make sure it fits properly, so employees will not be discouraged from wearing it. Comfortable PPE ensures the highest level of protection. To keep your employees safe and comfortable, there are certain aspects of equipment fit on which you should focus.
Prioritize Size
When the equipment fits comfortably and is worn correctly, it ensures proper function. Make sure employees are issued the correct size and fit to make certain the PPE works as intended.
Some of the most common types of PPE are gloves, hard hats, and steel-toed boots. Hard hats in particular are often not worn correctly. For example, if the hard hat is too big or too small, it will not stay on as it should. If a hard hat is uncomfortable, the worker will be removing it frequently and will not be properly protected.
Size goes hand in hand with comfort. If workers make adjustments for comfort because the equipment is not properly sized, the risk of insufficient protection is drastically increased.
Mind the Design
While some PPE suits are breathable, others come equipped with vents to allow adequate air circulation. These vents are designed specifically to provide optimal protection for working in high temperatures. The vents are typically covered with a protective flap to ensure the integrity of the garment.
Favorable Fabrics
The flexibility, air permeability, softness, weight, and drape of the fabric will make a difference in the comfort of a PPE suit. Therefore, the type of fabric is more important than cost when it comes to keeping your workers safe.
Cheaper PPE is often made with fabric that is less ergonomic, which makes it difficult for workers to move comfortably. In addition, cheaper fabrics often offer less protection. While these suits may save money, they will not properly work to save your employees from injury.
In addition to compromising the safety of your employees, uncomfortable PPE will also compromise productivity. When employees are not comfortable, they will be taking more breaks to remove or adjust the equipment, so, to keep production flowing, it is important to ensure that your employees have comfortable PPE. Make sure to get your equipment from a supplier that offers prominence, character, and dedication to quality.