Article - Protective Clothing for Your Workers | XCO Group
07 Jun 2019
6 Types of Protective Clothing the OHSA Requires Your Workers to Wear
Did you know that each week in South Africa, an average of two workers die unnecessarily because of unsafe or improper safety measurements, and that 90% of accidents in the workplace are because of debris, noise, collisions, and impact? As an employer, it is up to you to provide a safe and healthy working environment for your workers. In fact, the law is so stringent that if you get caught not providing the correct protective clothing (PPC) or equipment, you could be fined on the spot, or worse, you could go to jail. As you can imagine, non-compliance is a one-way ticket to liquidation.
Every job comes with its own set of dangers, which is why it is of vital importance to identify risks from the beginning. It is also just as important to have the right protective clothing. In today’s economic climate, no business can afford to leave themselves open to hefty fines or jail time because of non-compliance. Whether commercial or industrial, here are six types of protective clothing that the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires your workers to wear.
1. Eye protection: safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, face shields, and visors
2. Foot protection: safety boots and shoes
3. Hand protection: gloves, and gloves with a cuff and gauntlet
4. Head protection: safety helmets, hairnets, and firefighter helmets
5. Hearing protection: earmuffs and plugs
6. Skin protection: lead aprons, sleeve protectors, overalls, boiler suits, and chemical suits
PPC is an integral part of any worksite safety plan and should be principal. Properly worn, these clothing items will prevent accidents and keep your workers safe. While these heavily regulated items are specifically designed, treated, or fabricated for protection against extreme, dangerous work environments, our economy has forced businesses to adhere to tighter budgets, leading to incorrect or inferior results. What many businesses do not realise is that not only does this negligence have a direct impact on its ROI, but it compromises the backbone of our country’s economy. Fortunately, you can trust XCO Group to produce and deliver quality PPC at affordable prices.
We Bring You a Protective Clothing Solution Geared for Performance
As one of the leading sports, corporate, and protective clothing suppliers in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, we provide heavily regulated industries with PPC that meets the Occupational Health and Safety standards and regulations. Keeping up to date with technologies and addressing electrical, heat, chemical, biohazard, and airborne elements, we provide an approved range of disposable, high-visibility, anti-static, heavy duty, waterproof, and fire-resistant PPC that is geared for performance. We also supply eye protection, hand protection, face protection, head protection, and protective footwear.
No business can afford to compromise or take shortcuts with the lives of others, or even the livelihood of their own business. The right PPC is critical, so do the right thing and keep your workers safe and your business compliant with XCO Group. Not only do we carry all the leading PPC brands, but we also do all our own branding and we deliver to your door.