With so much focus on health and safety at work, most people believe that workplace injuries and fatalities should now be a rare phenomenon, but that is not the case.
With so much focus on health and safety at work, most people believe that workplace injuries and fatalities should now be a rare phenomenon. Especially since today, many businesses routinely issue and mandate the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). But, as the latest research clearly shows, it’s a problem that refuses to go quietly.
Surprisingly, many of these accidents occur on premises which have health and safety programs in place – even where the correct PPE has been issued. So why is it so difficult to ensure employee safety? While injuries can occur across a wide range of workplace activities, there are some areas that appear disproportionately dangerous.
Maintenance is a routine activity, but for individual workers it often presents a deviation from everyday activity. Maintenance workers are using different tolls and equipment, different PPE and there is pressure to get equipment back up and running quickly. This can inadvertently breed conditions where accidents are significantly more likely than usual.
Age also plays a role in occupational safety. The baby boomer generation is staying in their jobs longer that previous generations[i].The economic downturn can certainly be a contributing factor to this trend. As pensions have become a thing of the past, the employee benefit for retirement is the 401K, which is susceptible to market fluctuations. Workers age 65 and older had the highest fatal injury rate of all workers, 2.5X the rate of all-worker fatal work injury rateII. Their experiences, expertise and familiarity with equipment may leave them overconfident. Exhibiting this “It will never happen to me” attitude, they have an invisible mindset that can lead to incorrect procedures, methods and tools leaving venerable to injuries.
Personal Protection Equipment is issued but not used. PPE is not a one-size-fits all solution. Employee want stylish and comfortable PPE solutions that adapts to their environment. Uncomfortable PPE is often modified or the use of it is discontinued all together, leaving employees at risk for injury. The hazard you are mitigating, employee comfort and work environment must all be evaluated before issuing PPE. PPE that allows workers to express their individuality can help drive compliance[i].
You will probably never be able to create a 100% safe environment, but by focusing on a combination of culture, process and equipment you should be able to minimize accidents and injuries throughout your organization which will be a positive impact to your business.
Kimberly-Clark Protection is here to help make your workplace exceptional – healthier, safer and more productive. A certified Kimberly-Clark Professional is available to conduct a Hazard Walk at your facility to create a tailored solution, designed specifically for you. Please contact your local MSC rep for more information.
Kimberly-Clark Professional is on a mission to create safer, healthier and more productive workplaces. Our wiping solutions, PPE and washroom/breakroom solutions can provide you and your customers trusted brand name products to maximize safety and productivity.
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