Dow has also been using DuPont coveralls
for many years in areas where staff are
exposed to hazards arising from solids and
dusts; for instance, in the production of
cellulose ethers which are used as fillers
and binders in construction materials,
cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The suits
involved here are primarily from the Tyvek®
product line, such as Tyvek® 600 Plus.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
Before purchasing new or updated
garments, Dow carries out comprehensive
wear tests lasting several weeks or even
months with its front-line staff.
These tests are a useful factor in coming
to a decision about which product is
most suitable for staff and their specific
working conditions and whether the
chosen garment can prove its worth under
practical conditions.
Thiede explains, “DuPont assists us with
these tests by supplying sample garments
in various sizes. Our staff enter their ratings
on questionnaires covering criteria such as
wearer comfort, fit, freedom of movement,
handling, size range and, of course, the
wearer’s subjective feeling of safety.”
Dow then jointly evaluates these
questionnaire responses with DuPont.
Positive and negative feedback about the
garments may then be fed into further
product development.
Dow’s standard practice originally was
to keep stocks of the garments in sizes M
to XXL. Over the course of time, the wear
tests have increasingly revealed demand
for very small and very large sizes as well.
One advantage of working with DuPont is
their ability to respond to these changes
in demand, because they can offer a wide
range of different sizes which are available
from stock or made to order.
CONTINUOUS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT
Dow and DuPont have now been working
together for over ten years on the
selection and use of suitable protective
garment solutions for specific hazards and
applications. The aim is to ensure ongoing,
continuous improvement in staff safety on
the Stade site. This is why the companies
carry out joint workshops to inform heads
of department, H&S coordinators, staff
from partner companies and apprentices
about protective clothing in general, the
characteristics of Tychem® and Tyvek®
chemical protective clothing, the correct
way to donning and doffing and proper
disposal after possible contamination.
As Thiede says, “Participants in these
training workshops pass on their
knowledge to their departments and
among their shift colleagues. Our aim is
to make sure this knowledge is put into
practice and widely disseminated so our
staff can work safely.” DuPont has helped
to support the dissemination of safety
information by providing training videos
and step-by-step instructions which Dow
staff can access via an intranet platform.
In addition, custom garment solutions
were required for some areas of use: such
as protective suits with reinforcement
at specific points subjected to particular
mechanical stress, or specific details such
as attached heat-sealed gloves or boot
cuffs. “In such cases, DuPont put us in
contact with a company which has been
able to finish the garments in line with
our requirements”, explains Thiede. “Also,
we regularly collaborate on optimizing
and further developing the products with
the aim of continually improving staff
protection.”
ROLL-OUT TO OTHER SITES
Since Stade manufactures basic chemicals,
the safety insights gained there can
also be transferred to other Dow sites in
Germany and Europe to deliver a number
of benefits. Firstly, broader implementation
generates cost savings, since there is
no longer any need to select and assess
various chemical protection garments and
carry out wear tests at each site. Secondly,
the resultant synergies can ensure greater
harmonization of PPE between sites and
so enable uniformly high occupational
safety standards across Germany. “This
obviously also makes things simpler and
more efficient for both parties. DuPont has
a single point of contact on the customer
side and we are able to take delivery of
larger quantities, making it a win-win
situation for everyone”, concludes Thiede.
For further information, please
visit: ipp.dupont.com or
safespec.dupont.co.uk.
Issue 37 PECM
119