Personal protective equipment protects employees from dangers at work. Personal protective equipment (or PPE) is necessary for many jobs, and it is up to you as the business owner to know what it is, why it’s needed and how to care for it. PPE is a necessity to many jobs to provide maximum protection to your employees, and it is your responsibility as an employer to know about it.
You Need to Use It Correctly
Personal protective equipment is any equipment that provides protection to employees. From masks and gloves, to shin guards and helmets, PPE is standard in many industries. But it needs to be used correctly. Masks and respirators should be correctly fastened, helmets should be fitted to the employee’s head correctly, and boots, shin guards and other PPE likewise worn as they should. Ill-fitting or loose PPE does not perform its function correctly and can therefore endanger your employees.
It’s Up to You
A business owner’s responsibility doesn’t stop at providing PPE for employees. While it is your responsibility to supply PPE for your employees, you also need to check your equipment and make sure they are functioning correctly. You need to provide training for your employees so that they know how to correctly use PPE. Because PPE protects your employees and is critical for their safety in the workplace, it is up to you to prioritize how the equipment is used.
Maintenance and Replacement
Because the equipment is your responsibility, you should make sure that the PPE is well maintained and replaced when needed. If shin guards are worn or broken, helmets cracked, and masks torn, they should get replaced in order to prevent injury. A thorough inspection identifies those pieces of equipment that need replacing. Taking good care of the equipment will help reduce the need for replacement but know that things will wear and tear over time and that you will eventually need to replace it all. This is why it’s important to thoroughly inspect the PPE on a regular basis so that if there are any damaged pieces of equipment, they get taken care of right away to prevent injuries in the workplace.
The safety of your employees should be one of your primary concerns. PPE, which protects your employees should be something you prioritize so that you can keep your employees safe while they are on the job.
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