‘Hard hats must be worn at all times’ may be the bread and butter of health and safety compliancy, helping protect your workforce and consequently yourself from legal action and accident injury claims, but there are longer term repercussions to consider when investing in safety equipment.
Workers who suffer from industrial diseases and industrial deafness can claim retroactively, up to 25 years after leaving the employment that led to their affliction. With stricter laws governing workplace injury compensation law, many legal firms are now proactively seeking individuals who believe they may be suffering from industrial deafness.
This makes it all the more important to add as much credence to caring for your workforce’s long-term health as protecting them against immediate physical dangers. All workers who may be exposed to loud noises, potentially dangerous chemicals and adverse working conditions must be given safety equipment that will help protect their welfare.
All workers within the vicinity of equipment that produces consistent noise or intermittent loud noises must been given access to and training for hearing protection equipment. This will help protect your workforce against the onset of industrial deafness or tinnitus. Manchester Safety Services offer both ear plugs and ear defenders, giving workers both in-ear and above-ear options for protecting their hearing and ear welfare.
Making ear protection the rule rather than the exception, allows for changes to attitude within the workforce, ensuring a safer working environment. The more predominant the use of ear protection, the greater care workers will take when audibly addressing one another. Standards and procedures must be put in place to ensure that all workers are aware of their surroundings and what it going on, even when one or more of their senses are inhibited.
Respiratory protection is equally important for workers exposed to any chemicals or airborne particles. A chemical or particle may be considered to be harmless now but further study in the future could indicate that it has harmful properties and could potentially be damaging to those who have been exposed to it. Protect yourself by ensuring that all possibilities are covered.
Asbestos was used for 2,000 years in production and building before legal action was taken by those affected by the dangers brought about by breathing in the substance.
Important Protection for Personal Projects
Even for small projects that do not require the circumnavigating of the red tape of planning permission, wellness protection is still vastly important. A vest and a tool belt will not protect you against airborne particles and chemicals that are prevalent even in the smallest jobs.
Simple jobs like building a bookcase can lead to significant sawdust in the air; disposable dust masks offer respiratory protection against their potential dangers.
