When You Need to Replace Your Safety Equipment

 It is essential to use personal protective equipment (PPE) on any worksite where chemical hazards are likely to occur. It is not the only step in compliance with safety regulations and best practices (the SWMS ahead of any project highlight the full requirements of the risk mitigation plans), but it is an important one. 

Employers are obligated to provide every employee with this equipment. It is not up to the employee to provide their own safety gear. It is also the responsibility of the employer to educate their employees on how best to utilize the equipment and make sure that all the Chemical Hazard Suit is maintained. 

Safe Work recommends that a chemical hazard suit needs to be:

• Applicable for the nature of the work

• The right size and fit for the person

• Appropriately stored and maintained

• Frequently replaced on first signs of degradation

How rapidly does PPE degrade?

A minor tear from a frayed edge on normal clothing isn’t any cause for alarm. Actually, there is a whole fashion trend where one deliberately tears or strips their clothes. With PPE, things are a little different, as the slightest defect in the equipment could expose someone to danger. 

The smallest gap in an arc flash suit is a good example. Fire and chemicals could break the barrier and cause harm to the person wearing it once they get inside. 

There is no set rate at which you need to replace a chemical hazard suit, but it all depends on how often the equipment is worn and how frequently it is exposed to hazardous conditions. The best thing to do is to have a rule of thumb that the equipment needs to be replaced every six months under normal circumstances. 

What You Should Be Looking For

Your chemical hazard suit requires scheduled inspection that should be maintained throughout its lifespan. This will help to identify any piece of equipment that may need to be changed earlier. Some of the things that inspectors should look out for as an indicator that the chemical hazard suit may be worn out beyond use include:

• Any staining or material degradation – thin or faded material suggests delicate and disposed to failure.

• Rips, indention, cracks, holes, tears, or visible damage – this is an instant warning that the chemical hazard suit will no longer function as required.

• The age of the gear as compared to that of the manufacturer’s expiration date – if it is closer to the expiration date, then it needs to be checked more carefully.

• How many owners has the gear had – various owners will wear the gear differently. This will accelerate degradation.

• Failing adapters, locks, straps, or security devices

The Uses of SWMS Template for High-Risk Construction Sites

Safe work method statement template defines 18 major activities that are considered highly-risked procedures in Australia. This SWMS template is a complete guide that outlines involved tasks and risk that come under the high-risk constructions activities such as construction work activities, high energized area of electrical sites, highly inflammable chemical and explosive sites, etc. This document has been applied by the Australian government, so that, such hazardous tasks can be complete without any risks and hassles. Before performing any such highly risked activities you must have this document so that you can complete such procedure without any risks.

To complete the construction work without any risks of accidents, and deaths on the sites the constructor should have SWMS template for the construction site. This document states all the tasks, involved risks, and guidelines to use of the safety measurements and safety controls to mitigate such risks.  Let’s discuss how this template helps the inspector to control the risks:

• Safe work method statement template provides guidelines to finish such a highly risky procedure on the sites with the use of modern safety measurement techniques.
• The reasons for accidents, collisions, and falls are defined well during the procedure of certain tasks and also provide the safety measurements to control them completely to finish the job without any risk. 
• The template provides the option to the inspector for taking the photos of risky tasks on the site.
• About the tasks the inspector can provide their views and recommendations to control the risks.
• It provides a complete list of safety measurements that can be used to control such hazards.
• To complete the report the inspector has to provide his digital signature.

Electrical Safe work method statement template:

Electrical tasks are highly risky tasks which should be completed with the use of all safety measurements. The electrical SWMS template defines all the risks and tasks that come under the highly energized electrical site during the procedure of electrical. The accidents or risks are involved in electrical procedures are Frayed cables and performing an electrical installation without using LOTO procedure, High Electric shocks, Explosion of electricity, etc

To avoid such risks and complete the electrical work efficiently you can use the Electrical Safe Work Method Statement Template as it provides you with the complete safety guidelines. With the use of this document, you can completely remove the risks and complete the procedure efficiently. This document is legally applied by the Australian government so that the accidents, deaths, and collisions can be controlled on the sites.

To mitigate the risks, the inspector can use this SWMS electrical template so that they can determine the risk factors that can harm the employees in anyways and provide the list of safety measure controls. With the help of this document, the accidents that can be happened during the progression of construction can be completely controlled and the work can be finished with the zero accidents and collisions.

In whole, we can say that this document really works well during performing the high-risk activities on the construction and electrical sites.