From hard hats to steel toe boots, personal protective equipment covers workers from head to toe.personal protective equipment products
Safety+Health, with the help of the International Safety Equipment
Association, recently reached out to PPE manufacturers with three
questions: What PPE trends are happening, what challenges are your
customers reaching out to you with, and what technological innovations
are here or on the horizon?
In the light-duty manufacturing industries, we’ve seen an increased
demand for seamless gloves with greater dexterity and increased
cut-resistance. In addition, the pressure from purchasers to decrease
costs on PPE seems to be higher than ever.”
“One of the most common trends we see at our clients’ locations is
the lack of a formal hazard assessment. A hazard assessment, including a
thorough PPE review, is the critical first step in the selection of the
proper PPE for specific job tasks and the worksite.”
“End-user demand for lighter protective apparel and equipment has been
the driving force behind a significant number of innovations in textile,
garment and faceshield design. The key is finding products that still
provide the appropriate amount of protection but at a fraction of the
weight.”
“In the molten metal sector, lighter-weight fabrics are keeping workers cooler and more comfortable while protecting them from molten metal splash. Instead of heavy, aluminized 16-plus-ounce fabric, which has been the industry standard for 30-plus years, the current trend is toward 10- to 12-ounce fabrics. These lighter-weight garments can offer the same protection and are more comfortable to wear.”
“As the dropped objects standard is nearing completion, PPE is being put under the microscope as a potential dropped object hazard. Companies nationwide are taking notice because the proposed standard is in its later stages and nearly prepared for ANSI adoption. While a lot of companies are seeing this upcoming standard as a way of improving tool safety, those who are really on the leading edge of safety are also taking note of PPE items and the effect they have on safety.”
