Standards For PPE
We’ve reached the end of National Electrical Safety Month, and today we’ll be digging into the last video of the five-part series on 70E changes in 2018. If you haven’t read any of the other SI Articles on these videos, or haven’t watched the videos themselves, please take the time to do so. But if you only have patience for one video, make it this one.
I feel that this last video on the standards for PPE really drives home the idea of personal responsibility and accountability when it comes to your own personal safety. This last portion of the webinar from NFPA’s senior electrical engineer Chris Coache ties everything together. Pay close attention as he illustrates how even though you control what PPE you do or do not wear, you still need to be aware of everything that happened before that piece of gear was in your hands.
Who researched and purchased the gear?
Are they aware of the differences between listed gear and counterfeit gear?
Do they have the experience or training to know which labels are correct or incorrect?
Human error is a large cause of many accidents and injuries on the job. But have you considered that errors can occur before you even arrive to your job site? By extension, you are not the only person involved in your personal safety. Your accountability needs to reach beyond what you would do on a day to day basis when it comes to your on-the-job safety. Make it a priority to check your gear, be knowledgeable on standards and listings, and share your training with those who can benefit from your experience.
“You don’t know that the gear doesn’t function until an incident occurs.”
