Yesterday, we talked about the use of face masks and respirators to protect against H1N1 exposure. Today, we expand our discussion to include the use of respiratory protection in general, as well as other types of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to protect against an array of workplace hazards.
Respiratory protection is an important part of the head-to-toe security PPE provides. Whether it’s protection against H1N1 or hazardous chemical vapors and gases, respiratory PPE is essential for keeping workers healthy and safe.
Of course facemasks are of some value as protection against most common airborne hazards. Face masks may be fine for a little nontoxic dust such as sawdust, dirt particles, or seasonal allergens in the air. But when it comes to the more dangerous respiratory risks, air-purifying respirators—or even atmosphere-supplying respirators—are required for protecting workers’ health and complying with OSHA regulations.
Looking to improve PPE use compliance? BLR’s Total Training Resource: Personal Protective Equipment on CD brings a new approach. Try it at no cost or risk. Click for info.
Of course, employees wearing respirators are likely to need to use other kinds of PPE as well—often gloves, body protection, eye protection, and more. That’s why BLR’s Total Training Resource: Personal Protective Equipment covers PPE from head to toe. In addition to respirators, this comprehensive training tool also teaches workers about the selection, inspection, fit, and maintenance of:
- Safety glasses;
- Hard hats;
- Gloves;
- Body and foot protection; and
- Hearing protection.
The Power of Emotion
No matter what kind of PPE is required, however, it won’t do much good unless workers use it when necessary. And there’s the rub. Getting your employees to actually wear the PPE you provide can be a real challenge.
We asked our safety editors what could be done to change negative attitudes about PPE and encourage its use. Their answer was surprising:
“Use the power of emotion.”
Their point was that modern marketing has found that emotion-laden messages, whether they be funny Super Bowl ads or tear-inducing movies, lower mental resistance to new ideas. The mind more readily adopts and retains them. So we built a program that uses this tactic to convince even reluctant workers to learn about and use PPE. The program, in interactive CD format, is called Total Training Resource: Personal Protective Equipment.
As trainees take a self-directed and self-paced journey through 88 slides, they are asked to experience what it would be like to suffer the consequences of unsafe behavior. They’re asked to imagine the impact of an accident on their families. They’re asked to remember how their bare hands felt after contact with strong cleaning agents or how their hearing was muffled after exposure to loud sounds. And, in the case of vision hazards, the screen actually goes blurry and dark for a moment, to reinforce the point that vision is both fragile and priceless.
The message is enhanced by a second tool adopted from learning experts: interactivity.
Educators know that the more a trainee interacts with material, the more he or she is drawn into it. Each slide, therefore, includes some form of action. Full-color photos and copy move on the screen. Trainees drag and drop material in answer to questions. In an exercise on donning and doffing safety gear, trainees actually dress and remove the parts of a Level 3 protective suit, one at a time, to learn the correct order in doing so.
Try BLR’s Total Training Resource: Personal Protective Equipment on CD at no cost or risk. Click for details.
Which subjects are covered in these unique ways?
—When PPE is necessary on their jobs
—What type of PPE is needed for their particular work
—How to use and adjust their PPE (including knowing signs that it is defective or needs maintenance)
—What the limitations of their PPE are, and when to upgrade to more substantial equipment
—What the expected life is of their PPE, how to maintain it during that life, and dispose of it when its usefulness is over
The specific types of PPE covered are those for:
—Eye protection
—Hearing protection
—Hand and body protection
—Foot protection
—Respiratory safety
—Head protection
—Electrical safety
Also on the program CD is a full catalog of reproducible supplementary materials, from training sign-up sheet, to quiz, to student completion certificate, and for group use, a bonus 28-slide PowerPoint® on PPE selection and use.
Safety Daily Advisor has arranged for its subscribers to evaluate the program for up to 30 days at no cost or risk. Click here and we’ll set things up.
Other Recent Articles on Personal Protective Equipment
Can You Hear Me Now? Noise and Your Employees’ Hearing
Hearing Protection: Your Questions Answered
PPE from Head to Toe
PPE: The Personal Barrier Against Workplace Hazards