The five things to look for in Personal Safety Equipment

Last Update 12 August 2016,  When it comes to personal safety equipment, you need to make sure you have the right equipment for the job you want to perform.

Ask Advice on Personal Safety Equipment

Ask advice: While all Personal Safety Equipment looks the same, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it does the job correctly. For example, a P1 disposable respirator will only filter up to 60% of particles, and  P2 disposable respirator will filter up to 95%.

Both these filters may not suitable for chemicals. When unsure, ask the supplier and provide you with the right product and equipment required. If ordering online, call or submit an enquiry. Don’t take a gamble with your employees, especially when working with dangerous equipment or chemicals.

personal safety equipmentPurchase certified personal safety equipment only:

This equipment and in many cases the packaging will be branded with an appropriate certification mark, the Australian Standard reference, and should include the name of the organisation, the date it was certified and a Certification Licence number. Be aware that not all products that claim to be certified are to an Australian standard. To be safe, look out for the Five Ticks ‘Certified Product’ Standards Mark. The AS/NZS can be searched on line for you further details.

Double check all sizes: A confined space harness that may be the incorrect size for person  carrying out the work, may cause serious injury or death should a fall occur. Check all sizes with employees before placing orders for products and, once they arrive,          test that these fit accordingly. Manufacturers can work to different sizes, so testing the product on an individual is essential to ensuring it fits appropriately.

Be careful when buying second hand personal safety equipment:

Do you really know how the item has been used for and has it been well cared for or what the Personal Safety Equipment  has been through? For example, A fall arrest harness may look fine but do you know if it has be compromised by a fall damaged through neglect or misuse.

Inspect Personal Safety Equipment regularly: Some products as fall arrest equipment MUST be inspected and tagged every six months by a qualified person. Having a calendar reminder  will ensure your equipment is in good working order and compliment.

So for all your personal safety equipment, call Bulk Safety Equipment on 07 5477 1222 or go to our shop to find what you need.