Check out some innovations in PPE and other safety equipment from 3M Company, designed to boost safety protection in the workplace and at the worksite.
Along with management commitment and employee involvement, there’s another essential factor in keeping your workplace safe—stuff. The devices and equipment designed to protect employees from harm play a big role in a safe workplace or worksite, too.
3M Company recognizes this fact, and along with many other innovative products, has come up with several safety-related products.
Scotchlite
3M Scotchlite reflective material, for example, enhances visibility and reduces the risk of struck-by hazards.
The material is "retro-reflective," which means it reflects light back to the source. "It’s not a glow-in-the-dark product and it’s not fluorescent material that gives off a different wavelength of light," explains Paul Maturen, portfolio marketing manager for occupational health and environmental safety at 3M. Rather, Scotchlite is based on glass bead technology.
The material is coated with tiny glass spheres, which act as mirrors. When light coming, for example, from an oncoming vehicle shines on the material, the mirrors bounce the light back, making the wearer more visible in dark environments.
ANSI-certified Scotchlite is applied to high-visibility vests as well as workshirts, T-shirts, and sweatshirts.
Checklists keep your workplace and your workers safe. See how with the award-winning Safety Audit Checklists program from BLR. Try it at no cost and no risk plus receive a free special report. Get the full story.
Red Light, Green Light
The NI-100 is a 3M product designed to warn users of potentially dangerous noise levels. The NI-100, which was named by Popular Science magazine as one of its "top 100 most innovative, high quality, and revolutionary ideas" of the year, is a small badge about 1" by 2" that can be clipped onto a shirt or jacket. It flashes red or green, depending on noise levels.
At a price of just over $40, the monitor has been selling well into all industries, says Jason Jones, occupational health and environmental safety marketing manager. It has a rechargeable battery that gets power from a mini-USB cable and can run for about 200 hours on a single charge.
Employees like that it’s lightweight and easy to wear. They also like the fact that it clearly indicates the need to use hearing protection in a particular location. Users can monitor themselves or help co-workers by indicating when they see a red light on someone else’s badge.
The monitor is designed for use in work areas with a variable noise level rather than where the noise level is consistent.
Examine the best-selling Safety Audit Checklists program for 30 days at no cost —not even for return shipping. Try it now and receive a FREE special report! Get the details.
3M has also developed a different kind of hard hat to prevent workers from wearing hats past their useful life. The Uvicator sensor indicates when it’s time for a replacement due to extended ultraviolet exposure. The sensor changes from red to white as the hat is exposed to UV light.
Many workers become attached to their hard hats and are reluctant to exchange them for a new one. But, if they work outside, the sun’s rays will eventually degrade the effectiveness of the plastic. "At some point the hat will not pass an impact test," says Jones. Worse yet, the plastic could crack, leaving the worker vulnerable to injury.
The Uvicator is lightweight, adjustable, and comfortable. Although it was especially designed for construction workers, the hat can be used effectively by any workers who require head protection and spend a lot of time working outdoors.
PingBack from http://savant7.com/workaccidentreport/workplace-safety/whats-new-in-safety-equipment/