PPE

The term PPE is given to a variety of products designed to protect the wearer from hazards. In today’s current climate, PPE is there to protect us all from the potential spread of COVID-19.

In workplaces, a risk assessment should be carried out before choosing which PPE is suitable for workers. This should then be followed by a training exercise to show your employees how to wear and use their PPE to stay safe properly. 

The PPE Supply chain has evolved in the last six months and can be complicated to navigate if you’re new to purchasing PPE. 

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Employers must now evolve their employees’ current PPE to protect them from not only the previous hazards but also from the contamination and spread of COVID-19. In clinical settings, the level of PPE must be very high, but in retail environments, a lower level of PPE is recommended to protect your employees while they work with the public. 

One of the best ways to protect everyone from the potential spread is to maintain a two meters social distance as much as possible, in addition, wearing PPE will offer some degree of extra protection if these two meters cannot be maintained. 

You can read more about safety at work in light of Coronavirus here

Face coverings

One of the simplest ways of protecting yourself from the spread of COVID-19 is a face mask and/or shield. Face masks vary from clinical disposable masks to respiratory masks, with some people making cloth face coverings at home. 

The best way to test if your face covering will work is firstly to make sure it is covering the mouth and nose then while wearing your mask, try to blow out a candle. If you’re unable to blow out the candle, then you know you won’t be breathing out potentially harmful droplets to anyone else you may come into contact with.

Face masks protect those around you from you potentially spreading COVID-19 but don’t protect the wearer. For an additional layer of protection that can prevent the wearer from coming into contact with harmful droplets, consider wearing a face shield that stops these droplets from reaching the wearer. 

There’s quite a variety of face masks available to choose from, so shop around and see which style suits you best. The PPE supplier Brooklyn Equipment stocks the different designs available in bulk so if you’d prefer to go for the disposable options, you might be better off looking there. 

Hand protection 

First and foremost, the frequent washing of hands with soap and water will kill any potential bacteria. In places where handwashing isn’t accessible, alcohol hand gel, with an alcohol content of over 60%, will offer thorough protection for those who use it correctly. 

Disposable gloves are also an option, but the wearer must avoid touching their face, phones, pockets, etc., as this could further spread the virus. Wearing gloves are most protective for ‘one touch,’ for example, a retail assistant would wear them when putting one shoppers’ products through the till, but then remove them before touching the till or anyone else’s shopping. This is why handwashing advised the most. 

Overall, maintaining a two-meter distance, while also wearing face masks and applying hand sanitizer, can offer the best protection from the spread of COVID-19. 

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