The Farmers Mart Jun-Jul 2018 - Issue 57 | Page 57

FARM BUILDINGS 57
• JUN/JUL 2018
gloves all work well when dealing with both
toxic and non-toxic chemicals in an agricul-
tural environment, so be sure to provide a
suitable selection.
Head protection
Hard hats and caps are crucial pieces
of equipment for protecting against any
bumps or falling objects that may occur
on-site, significantly reducing the likelihood
of getting permanent brain damage from an
accident.
With some types of hard hats protecting
against varying voltages in electric shocks,
it might be good to have these accessible
to your workers, so they are protected
against any eventuality. If the job descrip-
tion requires a lot of work with pesticides,
chemical-resistant hats with wide brims will
be a useful piece of kit to invest in as well.
Protective clothing and shoes
Assess the needs of your employees
and what their job demands of them — will
they be working into dark hours? Will they
be working in muddy fields? Will they be
working around toxic chemicals?
Asking yourself questions like these will
help you work out the type of clothing and
shoes they’ll need. For example, working in
the dark will require high-vis items, where-
as working around chemicals will require
chemical-resistant coveralls and aprons, as
well as latex footwear to repel any harmful
liquids or substances.
What training is
required for PPE?
Despite there being no set qualifications
needed to pursue a job in agriculture, un-
der the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974,
it’s compulsory for employers to provide
their staff with thorough training, regarding
best practice health and safety at work. This
means making sure all the workers know
how to work in a safe way, while being
aware of the potential hazards and conse-
quences that could arise from the mi suse of
machinery or chemicals.
You may even choose to train your
workforce towards a vocational health and
safety qualification (VQ) to give them the
most in-depth and expert information and
instruction. The VQ’s are in grade bands,
with level 2 being the most basic level of
training and is suitable for people who are
new in the sector, whereas level 3 is for
more experienced people who are wanting
to develop further. Where you might not be
able to do this on your own, enlisting the
help of your colleagues can be helpful. In
some instances, managers may not be able
to provide the training at all and will need to
call in a specialist, like a national body rep-
resentative, to do it for them. Be aware that
training should not just be provided to your
current workforce, but also any contractors
or self-employed people who you may
commission to do some work for you.
For further help with deciding what type
of training your organisation needs, HSE’s
brief guide to training covers all of the basic
information you need to know.
What is the best storage
practice for PPE?
As well as the maintenance of PPE being
your responsibility, the proper care and
storage of it should be considered equally
as important. Store the equipment in a
clean and dry place — a well-organised
cupboard or shed will usually do — to pro-
long its life and ensure there’s no damage
which could reduce its protective qualities.
Storage spaces should also house spare
sets which can be used if any of the original
pieces become damaged, lost or broken.
Strong locks will also protect against this
and help to prevent theft of expensive and
important equipment.
In instances where the PPE needs to be
disposed of after use, like with respiratory
air-purifying masks, there needs to be a
hazardous waste provision for employees
to use. When disposing of these materials,
the UK government has strict rules to follow,
so make sure you and your workforce are
fully up to speed with these, so no penalties
are incurred for your organisation.
Be sure to keep an eye on expiry dates
for equipment as well, and ensure your
workforce are clearly informed on who
in the organisation is responsible for any
queries to do with PPE. However, it’s also
important that your workforce is aware
that it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep
the equipment in good condition, stored
well and to report any missing or broken kit
immediately.
PPE is not only helpful in keeping your
workforce safe and happy, but it’s also a re-
quirement by law. By providing and training
your workforce for its use, the likelihood
of injuries will decrease while staff morale
and motivation increases — it’s a win-win
situation.