Learn from two experts about OSHA, NFPA 70E, PPE and other safety topics.
Safety insights
- Maintaining PPE safety requires staying current with OSHA, NFPA 70E, ANSI and other applicable standards, while using credible suppliers, vendor expertise and peer networks to identify solutions that reduce risk beyond minimum compliance.
- Effective PPE safety also depends on engaging frontline workers in selection and training, verifying proper use through audits and feedback, and continuously improving equipment and practices with hazard education, cost-conscious procurement and emerging smart technologies.
Respondents:
Lanny Floyd, PE, CSP, CESCP, CMRP, CRL
IEEE Life Fellow
Electrical Safety Group
Elkton, Maryland
Philip Jacklin, QSSP, OSHA-30
Continuing Education Program Manager
Diversified Fall Protection
Westlake, Ohio
How do you ensure compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and other relevant safety standards for PPE and how do you stay in compliance?
Lanny Floyd: In two ways: staying current with requirements in NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace and recognizing that compliance alone may not reduce risk to as low as reasonably practicable.
Philip Jacklin: Using vendors as quasi-auditors is a great way to ensure OSHA and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) compliance. Vendors have an interest in selling compliance and will be the first to show how to meet compliance and often can advise on proactive ways to exceed compliance and achieve comprehensive protection for workers
How do you approach the selection and use of PPE in your facility? What steps have you or your company taken to ensure employees have access to and properly use the necessary PPE?
Philip Jacklin: We always recommend involving frontline workers when selecting PPE. The best harness isnโt the most expensive one or with the most features, but the harness that a worker will wear correctly each and every time will keep them the safest. Their input can help encourage compliance in ways that typical training often struggles to inspire.
Lanny Floyd: Always ensure the supplier is credible.
How do you assess the effectiveness of your PPE training programs?
Philip Jacklin: Absence of falls does not necessarily equate to a presence of safety, but when you see workers in the field checking on each other or checking each otherโs harness fit, thatโs generally a good sign that your training is effective.
Lanny Floyd: Assessments occur through auditing and employee engagement/feedback.
How do you evaluate new PPE technologies before deciding to integrate them into your safety protocols?
Lanny Floyd: This occurs through discussions with suppliers.
Philip Jacklin: Networking with peers within ASSP or NSC is a great way to make decisions on technology before integration.
What steps do you take to continuously improve PPE usage and effectiveness in your facility?
Lanny Floyd: Core steps include providing hazard awareness education for workers at risk and for supervision and management of those workers.
Philip Jacklin: Checking in with workers and asking them for honest feedback on their fall protection equipment is a vital part of continuous improvement. Your fall protection system is only as effective if workers use it correctly each and every time.
Have you found any cost-effective solutions for high-quality PPE without compromising safety?
Philip Jacklin: As a vendor, Iโve seen that once businesses are transparent about their PPE needs and usage, their suppliers work to then secure that PPE at the lowest price available. Commitments to purchase ahead of time or putting PPE in vending machines is one way Iโve seen suppliers able to reduce costs without changing equipment.
Lanny Floyd: Reducing exposure results in less dependence on PPE for worker safety.
How do you envision the integration of smart technologies enhancing PPE in the next 2 years?
Lanny Floyd: AI tools will help ensure appropriate PPE is selected for specific exposures.
Philip Jacklin: I foresee more PPE including NFC tags in the near future, which will give anyone with a smart phone the ability to instantly pull vital info โ like instruction manuals, inspection reports and even training videos โ by simply scanning the productโs tag. Once the database is built, the possibilities are endless.
