Blog posts tagged with 'workplace safety'

Hand Protection is a crucial part of PPE for any physical labour task, handling dangerous chemicals, operating tools, equipment and machinery. It is imperative that appropriate ‘task-specific’ gloves, are worn in the workplace. The Graphex® range at Workwear Direct features an extended thumb and forefinger saddle. This beneficial design boosts the gloves’ overall protection, grip and longevity - further reducing the risk of hand injuries in the workplace.

Gauge your safety and performance! Understanding glove gauges is important for protecting your hands in the workplace. Gloves with specific gauges offer advantages and protection for certain tasks. For example, thinner gloves are perfect for electricians handling thin cables. Deciding on the appropriate safety glove can be daunting due to the many available alternatives. The work environment and potential dangers should guide your choice. But first, what is gauge?

For Work Health and Safety (WHS) Managers in Australia’s construction and mining industries, ensuring worker compliance with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a daily challenge. Safe Work Australia reports that non-compliance contributes to 40% of workplace injuries, costing businesses millions in medical expenses and downtime. A critical pain point is lack of worker awareness about the importance of PPE, often due to inadequate training or skepticism about its effectiveness. The PPE Group’s brands—Force360, TRu Workwear, Graphex, and Bool PT—combine high-performance safety with comfort to make PPE indispensable, while our engaging toolbox talks reinforce awareness. Here’s how we help WHS Managers boost compliance and keep workers safe.

In Australia's demanding work environments, particularly within construction, mining, and industrial sectors, the significance of breathable workwear cannot be overstated. The nation's climate, characterised by high temperatures and humidity, necessitates garments that not only ensure safety but also provide comfort.

For anyone conducting outdoor work, differentiating a polarised spec from a standard smoke or mirror coated spec will make a big difference in optical clarity and comfort. The harsh Australian sun will inflict high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on our eyes. When selecting a safety spec, taking vigilant action will reduce the risk of harmful optical conditions, like conjunctivitis or cataracts.

It is a fact that too much noise onsite can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss or tinnitus – defined by ringing in the ears. The most at risk category of workers is industrial manufacturing workers who rely on their PPE to protect them from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). NIHL can be brought upon by long-term exposure to harmful levels of sounds. With Force360 certified hearing protection you are guaranteed protection for the stipulated dB classification, as tested to Australian standards. However, as we know there are more factors at play when preventing a team from hearing injuries. How effective is hearing protection is being used?

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in the use of respiratory masks, leading to an increased awareness of the importance of respiratory protection. With an array of respiratory masks available in the market, selecting the most appropriate type of respiratory protection can be challenging. Among these options are disposable and reusable respirators. Choosing the proper respiratory mask depends on several factors, such as intended use, comfort, durability, cost, environmental impact, and task-specific regulations and standards. The differences between disposable and reusable respirators, include their features, benefits, drawbacks, and environmental impact. It’s important to understand the differences between each respirator to help you make an informed decision when selecting the appropriate PPE.

Excessive occupational noise is a common risk in workplaces with noisy tools and machinery, and around truck and forklift traffic. Exposure to loud noises, such as jackhammers, jet engines, firearms and many others, can put workers at risk. Damage to our hearing is irreparable, resulting in slight or complete hearing loss. Still, it is preventable if the appropriate hearing protection is used. Choosing the proper hearing protection, whether disposable, reusable, detachable or customised, is critical because when fitted and used correctly, efficacy is maximised and dangerous noise levels are reduced.

Hearing loss frequently happens due to exposure to loud environments. It can result from a singular loud noise such as an explosion of a firecracker near your ear, or more often, it can result over time from repeated exposure to loud sounds causing damage to our ears. Our ears are incredibly versatile and an essential organ in our bodies. Hence, we measure sound levels, which can assist us in understanding what things and settings can potentially harm our ears.

Glove gauge is a crucial consideration that can impact everything from dexterity to cut protection. A higher gauge means more stitches per inch, resulting in lighter, more dense stitching. Take a closer look at the advantages of higher gauge cut gloves and why they might be the right choice for your industry or application.

Hand injuries are the most common type of work-related injuries among Australians. Therefore, gloves certified to the latest Australian and New Zealand standards provide employees and employers alike complete peace of mind, as the gloves supplied are of the highest quality and perform to their published mechanical performance claims.

Workers in the oil, gas, mining and construction industries become exposed daily to a diverse range of unforeseen circumstances and hazards, which can result in severe injury to their hands. In these environments, workers are at risk of crushing, puncturing, and pinching-related injuries. Hand injuries caused by impact hazards are painful, costly, and sometimes irreparable. It affects both employer and employee, making it crucial for all to understand the importance of wearing impact protection gloves, especially in industries with high risks of impact hazards.