SEI IS YOUR PPE QUALITY ASSURANCE

The over-arching core message of this blog is "quality improvement". If you are going to reduce injuries, lower injury costs, improve worker comfort and the quality of work life, increase productivity, and in the process, increase profitability, you must improve the quality of your PPE program.

Our message suggests that you must upgrade the quality of PPE products used, improve the quality of your PPE evaluation process and buying decision, improve your level of PPE knowledge, and improve the quality of your source of supply in order to receive full value for your PPE investment.

A question we are frequently asked is "OK, but how do you determine quality"? It is a fair question and the first several messages of this blog address that issue. With so many products on the market, all claiming some degree of "quality", how do you sort them all out, where do you begin?. Compliance to acknowledged Standards if where most potential buyers start. But it is easy to "claim" compliance with Standards. If a manufacturer just does internal testing, isn't that a little like marking your own report card?

Fortunately, there is an alternative; independent, third party certification. The Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) does just that and does it well. Consider the following from their website:

"The Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) is a private, non-profit organization that administers a non-governmental, third-party certification program and tests and certifies a broad range of safety and protective products.


The SEI certification programs include annual product testing of all certified safety and protective equipment product models as well as annual quality assurance audits conducted at the manufacturer’s facility.
 
Both compliance testing and quality assurance audits are repeated at regular intervals to maintain certification. The manufacturer submits to on-going scrutiny of their products and processes by independent third-parties and agrees to recall non-conforming products.


Another important benefit of SEI certification is the additional assurance granted to purchasers and users of safety products. It means products bearing the SEI mark have been manufactured to meet the level of quality and performance of the most current comprehensive standards existing for the product.

While SEI does not assume responsibility for product performance, SEI's certification mark indicates that the manufacturer is concerned and responsible, and that the model for that product has met the recognized standards for testing and quality assurance."

PPE products do not have to bear the SEI mark to show that they comply with Standards and that their manufacturer has a Quality Assurance Program, but when they do, they show that the manufacturer has gone above and beyond what is required. So narrowing your buying decision to those products with SEI Certification is a good place to start.

PPE FOR PROTECTION FROM HEAT AND HAZARDS OF WORKING OUTDOORS

Our next post was going to be on filter lenses, but as the temperature rises in most parts of the country, outdoor work is increasing so we turned our attention to PPE for outdoor and temperature extreme hazards first. The hot summer months pose special hazards for outdoor workers who must be protected against heat, exposure to the sun, insect bites and stings and poisonous plants.

It has long been known that the combination of heat and humidity can be a serious health threat during the summer months. OSHA and NIOSH suggest a number of administrative steps that should be taken to mitigate exposure. But they barely mention using PPE as the first and last line of defense. That is because it is not well known that specialized PPE for heat exposure exists.

Sun burn, illness from insect bites and skin infections caused by poisonous plants are now recordable injuries and illnesses. Little is known about the existence of specialized PPE for those hazards either. That is probably because only one PPE manufacturer that we are aware of has focused on protection from the hazards of extreme heat and working outdoors. The Fibre-Metal Products Company (now a brand by Honeywell) began by modifying their leading products for an extra margin of protection outdoors. Then they augmented their core product line with the “best of the best” products available from skin protection specialists to put together a full line of top quality PPE specifically for protection from heat and the elements.

Let’s begin with heat. When employees work in extreme hot and humid conditions, heat stress can result in dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. All of which are serious medical emergencies. Heat can also cause heat fatigue which causes inattentiveness and slow reflexes and can lead to an accident. Because concentration is compromised, a workers sweaty hands are more likely to drop tools and materials from above creating risks on the ground. They also work slower and make more mistakes which affects productivity.

For indoor work, OSHA dictates that “hazards should be engineered out of the work place wherever possible” but that is not always possible. For outdoor work, they dictate that “exposure to high heat should be limited” but that is not always possible either. In addition to the administrative functions of providing water on a regular basis; providing frequent breaks, and providing a shaded, cool place to rest and recover, PPE can and should be used to protect from excessive heat.

Heat–related illness does not affect only those who work outdoors. Many workers, such as those in bakeries, foundries, laundries, or factories which use furnaces or steam, are exposed to heat dangers year round. Also, many warehouses can seem like saunas when the temperatures soar.

The body’s natural cooling system, evaporative cooling, takes place when sweat evaporates on the skin. Specially designed headbands, head covers, and neck   bands, using a unique material, extend the bodies cooling system to provide additional cooling relief from the heat. Water activated headband provides cooling at three levels. Used as a regular sweatband, it absorbs perspiration which cools through evaporation. Soak in water for less than 5 minutes and it becomes a cooling headband. Soak and refrigerate for the ultimate cooling experience. Unique composite material absorbs and cools without the use of slow activating beads, crystals or gels.

Water activated neck wrap helps manage body temperature by providing cooling at the pulse points in the neck. Designed to fit comfortably around the neck they lay flat with no “plumping” or additional weight. The hotter it is, the faster the evaporation, the greater the cooling effect. Can be run under cold tap water to recharge. A lot of companies keep a cooler with ice and water to soak and recharge the cooling products so that workers can always have a fresh one handy.

Spending long hours in direct sunlight also puts the worker at risk for injury and illness associated with excessive sun and UV exposure. Workers who spend a lot of time outdoors should take special precautions against sun burn and skin cancer by using sun screen and wearing PPE designed to block the sun’s rays. Extended sun exposure can also be harmful to the eyes, leading to cataracts. Protective glasses and faceshields that shade the eyes can lessen this risk.

Sweat proof, waterproof, oil-free, perfume free PABA-free, broad spectrum SPF-25 sunscreen reduces the risk of sunburn, premature aging of the skin and skin cancer. Convenient 10ML individual packets assure the right amount while eliminating costly waste, Sturdy packets fit easily is shirt pockets, tool boxes and first aid kits. Outdoor workers far prefer individual pouches to messy bottles. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours.

Outdoor workers should wear a wide-brim hat to protect the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp from the sun. A hard hat with a 360-degree brim is the most effective. If the wide brim does not provide enough protection, brim extenders can be added. Make sure any brim extender you use is one piece, see through and provides protection from glare. The Fibre-Metal by Honeywell full brim hat with its patented SWINGSTRAP is the only full brim hat that also provides a full sweatband that adds evaporative cooling relief. Protection can be enhanced by the addition of lightweight cotton sunshields that block up to 99% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays from the neck and sides of the face. They can be easily attached to the hats with Velcro tabs.

Outdoor workers eyes need to be protected from glare and the suns rays but they must be able to see to be safe and productive. Most brand faceshields and spectacles protect from glare and rays but they limit vision. Workers cannot see colors. The Fibre-Metal by Honeywell brand of faceshield windows are available in a unique "True-View" gray tint material that allows full color recognition for working with color-coated wiring and recognizing traffic signals. Whatever brand faceshield you select, make sure that it provides full color recognition. The same for protective spectacles.

 

Depending on the location, outdoor workers will often be exposed to potentially dangerous insects and plants. Exposure to West Nile virus from mosquito bites, Lyme disease, and other tick–born diseases is not uncommon for outdoor workers in some parts of the country. These diseases can have serious health consequences. In addition, outdoor workers should be careful of the plants they come in contact with. Plants such as poison ivy and poison oak can cause rashes and irritation. Each year, these plants cause almost two million cases of dermatitis. One major contractor had 30% of its work force out from poison ivy after a site clearing project.

Effective insect repellents are available. Those that contain DEET are the most effective but make sure you only use a product with an approved EPA registered formula. The CDC called for a reduction in the percentage of DEET used in insect repellants. Approved EPA formulas allows the DEET to be released in a more controlled and measured manner, permitting longer lasting performance once obtained only by high concentration of DEET.

Use a water base formula that is non-greasy, non-staining, low odor, water and sweat resistant. Again individual towelettes are the preferred delivery system for workers. The brand shown, Bug X 30, is EPA registered in all 50 states plus Health Canada and Mexico .Bug X 30 Insect Repellent with DEET is effective for 7+ hours against: Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, fleas gnats, red bugs, no-see-ums, sand fleas biting flies deer flies stable flies and black flies.

Barrier creams and post contact skin cleansers are the PPE of choice for protection from poisonous plants. Barrier creams, like Ivy X Pre-Contact Skin Barrier, form an invisible barrier to help protect against poisonous plant oils (Urushiol) commonly found in Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac. Look for a barrier cream that dries quickly, is not greasy, sticky or clay like, is sweat resistant and washes off with soap and water. Most importantly, chose a brand that requires no waiting after application. Some lesser brands require that you wait 15 to 20 minutes before entering the work area. Individual towelletes make field application easier. Ivy X Pre-Contact Skin Barrier is water and sweat resistant, is almost unnoticeable on the skin and washes off with soap and water. The packaging options (towelettes, bottles and sprays) allows for a compliant and affordable skin care program to help in poisonous plant protection.

If workers are exposed to poisonous plants, skin cleansers, like Ivy X Post-Contact Skin Cleanser is effective in assisting in the removal of the poisonous plant oils (Urushiol) found in Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac. Standard soap and water will not emulsify poisonous plant oils. Ivy X Post-Contact Skin Cleanser is designed to be “Wetter than Water” to start the emulsifying process to assist in removing plant oils before they have time to cause the uncomfortable rash, blisters and itching commonly associated with poisonous plants. Towelettes, make clean-up and protection simple. They can also be used to clean contaminated tools and equipment before reuse.

So you see there is specialized PPE available for protection from the hazards of working outdoors. There are a number of suppliers who may provide a single item, but only North by Honeywell, having enhanced and expanded the original Fibre-Metal offering, can provide a full line of outdoor PPE from a single source.