Adding a layer of protection

Part 3 of the ‘Return To Work Safely’ Series discusses the importance of PPE today, the impact Covid-19 has had on supply, and what products are available to ensure the safety of your employees.

It’s clear to see that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the requirement for certain PPE items. An increase for the need of face masks has dominated recent news, and the fact of the matter is, the importance of these items is now at an all-time high. These items are not only being used in workplaces, but you’ve probably seen people wearing them to visit the shops or even just going for a walk.

Moving forward, PPE items such as gloves and face masks will become a “normal” feature in our day-to-day lives, until the Government advises that infection rates have taken a significant drop. And as we return to work, they will play just as important role safeguarding employees.

Coping with high demand

The Covid-19 crisis is a global one, impacting and overloading supply channels throughout the world, the difficulty sourcing relevant items of PPE is increasing as the situation develops. The strength and robustness of our infrastructure has enabled ERIKS to identify and mitigate where possible, the associated supply risks, and we have been proactively monitoring our stock levels and those of our suppliers to ensure that we can remain in a position to support you and your employees with the products you need, when you need them most.

Now, as you re-enter the workplace, we have selected a range of recommended PPE – such as face masks and visors, high visibility vests, safety glasses, nitrile gloves and infrared thermometers to enable you to maintain social distancing in the work environment – all available from stock by contacting your Local Service Centre. CLICK HERE to check out the full range.

Keeping your PPE protected

The current circumstances have seen a shift in the way we use our PPE. Normally you would pick up your PPE items and put them on before attending any work. Now, additional it might even be before you enter the workplace and these items now have to defend against viral infections as well as the normal working environment so there are more considerations to ensure that your items provide the required level of protection. You should:

• Avoid touching your face or PPE mask to reduce contamination
• Change your mask if becomes damp or contaminated
• Change or wash (if applicable) your mask daily
• Change your gloves regularly
• Dispose of used PPE items correctly
• Under no circumstances should you share PPE with other individuals

These might only be simple tips, but they are very important ones in reducing infection risk and ensuring that you remain fully protected while in the workplace.

Wearing your PPE correctly

Selecting and specifying the correct protective equipment is just the first step to ensuring safe operation. But we must stress that if your items of PPE aren’t worn correctly, you are not protected. If you’re interested in reading more then check out our ‘Correct Fitting Equals Correct Breathing’ blog which discusses checking and testing your face masks, fit validation and offers official guidance from HSE. 

Real or fake?

Unfortunately, with the increase in demand for PPE has come an increased risk of purchasing counterfeit items. This has been a growing concern in industry for some time now, but has increased significantly driven by today’s climate. It’s a real risk that must be addressed if we are to remain safe. For advice check out our Counterfeit PPE blog HERE to see how to identify counterfeit products and what steps should be taken if you obtain such items.

As a responsible business that is dedicated to safeguarding our employees, ERIKS is committed to only delivering the highest quality personal protective equipment and our MRO & Safety Equipment division ensure that our supply lines provide us with fully compliant PPE, allowing us to keep you safe.

If you would like to discuss your options, please don’t hesitate to contact our MRO & Safety Equipment business unit on 0121 508 6000. Your health and wellbeing is our primary concern.