Style matters in safety
When it comes to personal protective equipment, nothing matters more than safety. But so long as safety products continue to do their job, it won’t be the only thing that matters.
As it turns out, style is a major driving force behind contemporary safety product innovations. According to an April 2016 report from Global Market Insights, the U.S. PPE market is set to hit a value of $67.6 billion by 2023, much of which will be due to products that meet the growing need for a combined package of safety, comfort and attractiveness.
It makes sense that feeling good and looking good go hand-in-hand, but in safety equipment, it could also ensure staying safe. A survey conducted by Kimberley-Clark found that 89% of safety professionals have seen workers neglecting to wear their PPE — the majority of the blame went to discomfort. Things like proper fit, breathability, range of motion and appearance all contribute to the likelihood that employees will wear their protective gear as prescribed.
“Ahead of appearance and comfort should always be effectiveness,” said Andy Olson, product director at Ergodyne. “Something that looks good or is comfortable or both but doesn’t effectively protect a worker is both useless and dangerous.
“Once you have ‘effective’ covered, I would say comfort would be No. 2 for two reasons: one, if PPE is comfortable, it probably fits, and PPE requires a good fit to be most effective. If it looks good, then employees are much more likely to wear it/be compliant. If you have effective, comfortable PPE that also looks good and employees actually want to wear it, now you’re on to something.”
In Olson’s view, the bottom line of all of these things is compliance. When safety products don’t feel or look good, workers won’t want to wear them. When workers don’t wear their PPE, they’re exposed.
One way employers are getting ahead of the curve is through an investment in high-end products that they encourage workers to take home over the weekend and use while they hunt or perform yard work.
This achieves two purposes: ensuring compliance on the job, as well as ensuring compliance over the weekend, when workers run the risk of sustaining an injury that could sideline them indefinitely.
Lightweight respirators with foam nose pads, fashion-conscious safety glasses with anti-fog technology and garments with elastic waists and stretch panels are just a few examples of products meeting workers halfway.
Ergodyne Skullerz Safety Glasses
The appeal to the style-conscious worker is evident. But these safety glasses also provide four times the impact protection as required by occupational standards and feature permanent anti-fog technology. (ergodyne.com)
Honeywell Howar Leight TrustFit Pod Earplugs
The problem with earplugs is that they often don’t fit. These push-in foam earplugs offer enhanced protection against noise-induced hearing loss thanks to an ergonomic stem and dimpled foam tip, which collapses so it can be easily inserted into the ear. (honeywellsafety.com)
