Workers ignoring PPE use: Kimberly-Clark study

National Safety Congress attendees say they see workers without proper safety equipment

By Plant Engineering Staff November 18, 2008

U.S. workers continue to risk workplace injuries by not complying with important safety procedures, according to a survey released by Kimberly-Clark Professional.

The survey found that 89% of safety professionals polled at the 2008 National Safety Congress have observed workers failing to wear personal protective equipment when they should have been.

“We find it disheartening that people continue to put themselves at risk by failing to wear PPE when undertaking hazardous tasks,” said Randy Kates, general manager of the safety business for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “Despite the importance of PPE, there is still an unacceptably high rate of noncompliance in the workplace.”
This is the third consecutive year that the Kimberly-Clark survey has revealed a high rate of PPE noncompliance. In 2007, 87% of respondents said they had observed PPE noncompliance in the workplace, while 85% answered yes to this question in 2006.
For full details of the study, check out the December issue of Plant Engineering, or go to www.kcprofessional.com/us/mkt/2008nscpressrelease.