Comfort factor sorely underestimated, says PPE supplier
1 min read
Health and safety managers are missing a trick when it comes to specifying personal protective equipment – comfort is a crucial factor, as well as protection, but most fail to give it sufficient consideration.
That's the claim from Marc Besson of Kimberly-Clark Professional, who says comfort is essential: "If PPE is comfortable, then employees are more likely to wear it all times, thereby reducing the risk of an incident. If staff are uncomfortable wearing their PPE they may be inclined to remove it – even if only for a few moments – which could expose them to the possibility of an accident or ill-health."
Understandably, he adds, a health and safety manager is likely to begin by ensuring PPE meets the relevant EN standard, the European benchmark for quality and intended use. "However, the EN standard doesn't give PPE buyers any indication of how comfortable a piece of equipment is for the wearer, so it's important to go that one step further and make sure your PPE supplier has considered the comfort of products when it developed them."
Kimberly-Clark Professional, for example, has developed products with added levels of comfort, he claims. For example, the patented Jackson Safety moulded dual-valve particulate respirators have a softer, adjustable head-strap that holds the respirator in place without irritation to the wearer. The latex-free respirators also offer a soft nose pad with a cloth layer for added comfort levels.
And its Jackson Safety H50 ear clips offer a comfortable alternative to standard ear plugs. Available corded or uncorded, the H50 fits comfortably with the ear to block unwanted workplace noise without intruding into the sensitive ear canal.
