Page 39 - IOSH JanFeb24_Full LR

What is
PPE?

The IOSH definition of PPE is

‘protective equipment worn by
a worker to minimise potential
injury or illness when exposed to
workplace hazards’. It can include
face coverings used by medical

staff and those working with
hazardous chemicals, safety boots
and gloves right up to full body
hazard materials (hazmat) suits.

we are trying to attract more women and girls
into construction. We need more role models
to increase the diversity in our profession.’
Above all, PPE must be designed to be
comfortable and practical. Or, as the European
Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-
OSHA) puts it: ‘Good PPE is PPE that is used!’
As well as restricting mobility, ill-fitting

clothing can create snagging hazards. Mei Sze
Tsang, a Hong Kong-based workwear designer,
says this is a critical point.
‘We must make clothing that fits the body

of the person wearing it,’ she says. ‘Otherwise

there is a strong temptation to take it off. We’re
facing global warming, and temperatures are
rising. Here in Hong Kong, in summer the
temperature on-site can be as high as 54°C.
‘In traditional, bulky, heavy-duty clothing
workers will suffer a lot in the heat. Which is

why I decided to design clothing that is lighter,
more comfortable to wear and allows the
person wearing it to move more freely.’
Her clothes use sustainable advanced fabrics
that are breathable and quick drying. They
are also, as one commentator noted, ‘making
construction sites fashionable’. She describes
wearers of her designs as ‘industrial athletes’.

Smart PPE
The fabrics used to make workwear have also
evolved. Composite materials, like DuPont’s
Kevlar, originally developed to replace steel
plates in military body armour, enable the

IOSH MAGAZINE 39

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