Product category:
Personal protective equipment (PPE), devices
News Release from: Arco | Subject: Breathe Easy Week - respiratory products
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 May 2008
Check respiratory protective equipment
Arco is recommending that manufacturers check respiratory protective equipment in Breathe Easy Week as 31% of employers have said that their employees could be exposed.
UK safety equipment and workwear supplier, Arco, is urging employers to check the performance of their respiratory protective equipment during Breathe Easy Week Brethe Easy Week is the British Lung Foundation's annual awareness campaign which runs in the UK during June 16-21, 2008
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 27 Mar 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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* Occupational lung disease - Arco told manufacturingtalk that hundreds of substances found in the workplace have been identified as causing occupational lung disease, a condition that can present itself in many debilitating forms, even years after exposure.
According to the latest UK HSE figures, 31% of employers state that their workforces could be exposed to work-related breathing risks and 142,000 employees suffer breathing or lung problems that they believe to be work related.
Arco's category manager for Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE), Steven Binnie, said: "We cannot underestimate the importance of providing employees with a well-fitting respirator with the correct level of protection if we are to help drive down these statistics".
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He continued: "Breathe Easy Week is the perfect opportunity for companies to heighten the awareness of protecting one's lungs.
Although recent legislative requirements have led to a better understanding of occupational health and safety, industry is still working hard to enforce the regular wearing of PPE where risk assessment has identified its necessity".
Binnie emphasised: "In order to improve wearer acceptance, it is vital to ensure that any PPE is comfortable as well as protective.
That's where Arco can help".
In addition to supplying the UK's biggest range of personal protective equipment, Arco provides a host of workplace safety products including the following.
* Site surveys.
* Face fit-testing.
* Wearer trials.
* Training.
The company offers its own range of RPE, but also works in partnership with leading manufacturers like 3M, Scott, Moldex and Sundstrom to ensure customers receive the most up-to-date advice and guidance and can benefit from global innovation.
As Binnie said: "Years ago, people didn't understand the risks associated with being unprotected against hazardous substances in the workplace, or just accepted their fate as a hazard of the job, As a result, today, the HSE reports that past exposure to asbestos, chemicals, fumes and dusts is responsible for around 4000 of the 6000 chronic pulmonary disease related deaths annually".
Binnie added: "And over the last three years, past exposure to asbestos and coal dust has accounted for a large proportion of the 6300 cases of industrial injuries assessed for Industrial injuries Disablement Benefit.
Thankfully, a greater awareness of the effects of hazardous substances has led to stricter legislative requirements and a wider provision of PPE so, slowly but surely, the number of new cases are on the decline".
* Watch out for the hidden risk - talking about the highest contributor to occupational lung disease in today's workplace environments, Binnie said: "In addition to the obvious toxic chemicals, dusts and fumes, many hidden substances that can't be seen, tasted or touched can lead to the onset of work-related lung or respiratory disease if the correct protection is not worn.
For instance, high rates of occupational asthma are found in the baking industry, electronics, paint spraying and plastics and in jobs where people have contact with natural latex rubber (often found in medical gloves).".
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