Better solutions to PPE challenges

Finding better PPE solutions through supplier networks

How one manufacturer improved health and safety compliance by collaborating with a trusted partner.

Whatever sector you operate in, ensuring the health and safety of your workforce is of paramount importance. Often this means providing the most appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for their needs but knowing what the most appropriate PPE is can be challenging. It is difficult, for example, for small and under-resourced procurement teams or health and safety departments to stay up to date with every option available on the market. As a result, an organisation may end up compromising or improvising to find a solution. This isn’t ideal in terms of health and safety – and it may not be ideal in terms of the time and cost involved either.

What’s the alternative? How can businesses feel confident that they’re providing staff with the most appropriate PPE without committing huge additional resources? The answer lies with trusted suppliers. As this case study demonstrates, by working with the right partners, businesses can access a far bigger network of experts and solutions – and through them, find products that they may not have been aware of. You don’t know what you don’t know, goes the old saying, but don’t let this compromise the health and safety of your workforce.

The maintenance team at one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-powered semiconductors work in dusty environments and areas where there is a risk of exposure to chemicals in the air. As a result, all engineers require respiratory protection as part of their PPE but the customer was struggling to find a mask that provided a sufficiently good fit for employees with beards or other facial hair.

The customer was keen to find an alternative solution that would fulfil health and safety requirements and provide comfort as well as protection. The business also wanted to reduce the amount of time, and associated costs, spent on repeated fitting tests without jeopardising compliance with safety regulations.

RS has built up a network of more than 2,500 suppliers offering more 850,000 products. Moreover, thanks to its strategic relationships with suppliers, RS can provide access to the latest technology and innovations alongside technical support to help customers find better solutions to their most pressing challenges.

In this case, the RS team offered to use its technical experts and strong supplier relationships to assist the customer with finding a more effective alternative to protective masks. The team facilitated a meeting with PPE supplier 3M, who agreed to provide free on-site training so engineers could try out different respiratory protection options and learn how to use the equipment.

The new air respirators are more comfortable to wear and more effective in terms of protection, thus better meet the needs of the engineers. They better meet the needs of the business as well. <b>Freeing up time previously spent on fit tests represents an important saving for the customer while longer term they will generate further cost efficiencies by reducing use of consumables.</b> The process also demonstrates the value that RS can offer to customers thanks to its strong strategic relationships with suppliers – and your organisation can benefit from this too.

Head back to our PPE page to see how else we can support you with your PPE requirements today.