When it comes to keeping employees safe at work, one thing that has become vital in recent years is personal protective equipment (PPE).
From hard hats to hearing protection, PPE plays a vital role in reducing the risk of harm. In this guide, we take a look at the different types of PPE available, how they can help safeguard from injuries, and what companies should do in order to comply with health and safety laws.
We also explore what can happen if a company doesn’t supply PPE, such as staff making a claim for an accident at work for any injuries they suffer.
What Is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a piece of work equipment that is designed to protect workers from certain risks of harm.
Examples of PPE include:
- Hard hats, often used on the likes of construction sites
- Protective footwear like steel-toe boots or slip-resistant footwear
- Gloves which can protect against chemicals, cuts and heat
- Safety goggles to protect from pieces of shrapnel or dust
- Safety harnesses and secure lines for those working at heights, like scaffolders or roofers
- Respirators for anyone working with chemicals, toxins or in dusty environments, like stonemasons
- Hearing protection like ear plugs and ear defenders
- Overalls if dealing with the likes of paint, chemicals or fire
- Hi-vis jackets to help keep workers visible and safe while on the job.
In some jobs, personal alarms or safety signs and barriers may also be required, particularly for those who work alone.
Why Is PPE Important?
PPE can sometimes provide a simple function but its benefits are potentially life-saving. Without the likes of hard hats on construction sites, someone could get struck in the head by a falling brick and lose their life. Similarly, someone using an angle grinder with a face shield has a huge decrease in suffering the likes of an eye injury compared to someone who doesn’t have one.
The same applies to those working in the likes of dusty or noisy environments. Continuous exposure to harmful chemicals, sounds or particles like sawdust can cause chronic conditions to develop over time, which can leave people disabled, injured and unable to work.
While PPE may feel awkward to use at first, once the user becomes aware of the risks of not having it and the outcomes that can follow as a result, it almost becomes a no-brainer.
Are Companies Obligated To Provide PPE?
Yes, companies have a legal duty in the UK to provide employees with PPE where required. This responsibility is set out in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Under this, companies must also:
- Ensure that the work equipment provided is suitable for the job and conditions
- That PPE is maintained in an efficient and workable state.
- Inspections should be carried out regularly to ensure all equipment is safe and effective
- That proper instruction and information is provided on how to use the PPE
- That training be provided for anyone in charge of supervising the use of PPE, as well as spotting signs of deterioration
If an employer can comply with all of these duties, then they’re less likely to encounter accidents, injuries and hazards in the workplace. However, what happens if they don’t provide PPE or the right types?
What If A Company Doesn’t Provide Work Equipment And An Accident Happens?
If a company fails to provide PPE and an accident happens, they could leave themselves exposed to a compensation claim.
According to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers are required to take reasonable measures to ensure worker safety. If they don’t do this, they could be deemed liable in the eyes of the law.
Workplace accident claims can be financially significant due to the compensation awarded and the loss of an important employee due to injury, though these fees are covered by employers liability insurance. Therefore, it is crucial to take all necessary precautions to prevent such accidents.
Does PPE Work? A Look At The Statistics
The HSE provides statistics on workplace injuries reported by employers under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). Employers are required to notify the HSE of accidents that meet RIDDOR’s reporting criteria.
In the 2022/23 period, the construction industry, which uses a lot of PPE on sites, reported 4,038 non-fatal accidents under RIDDOR.
Of these incidents, 260 were due to contact with moving machinery, and 514 resulted from contact with falling or flying objects. While these figures indicate the type of accident, they do not specify the underlying causes, leaving room to speculate whether improved use of work equipment might have prevented some of them.
Nonetheless, every reputable building contractor understands that preventing accidents involves equipping workers with appropriate protective gear, providing thorough training, and ensuring that all work equipment is safe and suitable for its intended use.
Final Thoughts
PPE is vital in ensuring employees are safe at work. While they can’t always prevent accidents from happening, they can minimise the harm done if one does arise.
In other cases, PPE is necessary in order to do a job. For example, stonemasons work in dusty environments all day, every day. If they don’t have proper respirators to help them breathe, they can develop lung conditions which may stop them from working. It’s therefore vital that companies in these situations provide PPE.
While there is a cost involved, it’s nothing in comparison to the potential financial cost to the business of staff not being able to work, as well as the impact on the injured person themselves whose life may be ruined as a result. This is especially the case with those who worked with asbestos and weren’t provided with any health and safety equipment. Asbestos-related conditions, like mesothelioma, often lead to fatal outcomes.
