Kimberly-Clark Professional surveyed safety professionals at the National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and report that 85 percent said they have observed people in their organizations failing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when they should have. Surprisingly, nearly half said this had happened on numerous occasions, while 38 percent described these occurrences as infrequent.

In addition:

• 66 percent of safety professionals said PPE compliance was an issue within their organizations
• 40 percent described it as a “major concern” that they were attempting to correct 
• 57 percent of respondents who observed PPE noncompliance in the workplace said the workers attributed this to poor fit or discomfort

According to the Kimberly-Clark survey the main reason for noncompliance is a feeling of vulnerability, as in “An accident won’t happen to me.” This was selected by nearly one third of respondents from a list of choices.

This was followed by:

·         Lack of awareness of workplace hazards 

·         Lack of training on how to don, doff and use PPE

·         Ill-fitting uncomfortable garments

·         Lack of “breathability” and inadequate supplies

Comfort was the biggest priority of the safety professionals surveyed, this was followed by quality, availability and fit. Price and size selection came in last.  “These survey results demonstrate that comfort really does drive compliance.” Said Randy Kates, general manager of the Kimberly-Clark Professional Safety Business. “If PPE is uncomfortable or doesn’t fit right, workers may modify or not wear it properly to minimize discomfort, which may then compromise protection.”

The top three workplace issues selected from a list of choices, were:

• Insufficient management support and/or resources for health and safety functions
• Under-reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses
• Worker compliance with safety protocols

The survey was filled out by 158 safety professionals who reported being responsible for purchasing, selecting or influencing the purchase or selection of, or compliance with, personal protective equipment. Respondents were from the following fields: industrial manufacturing, construction, hazmat, emergency response, clean manufacturing, laboratories, medical, health care, military and law enforcement.

For full survey results, visit www.kcprofessional.com

SOURCE Kimberly Clark Professional