Timber iQ October - November 2018 // Issue: 40 | Page 44

FEATURES Technological advancements in PPE is revolutionising safety for future protection. Continued from page 40 The latest industrial smartphone apps also offer functionalities such as on demand training with clear visual instructions and provide both the worker and safety manager with information on which PPE is needed for a specific task.” Berman-Jacob says one of the many great things we’re seeing across the protective wear industry and in companies is a new focus on PPE for women. “More often than not women have to ‘make do’ with whatever clothing their employer has on hand and most of the time these garments are made for men which results in a bad fit. As many people know, badly fitted protective wear can cause a lot of harm. For example, because women have narrower faces so protective eyewear designed for a man leaves gaps at her temples and allows wood chips and dust to fly in. New eyewear is therefore being specially developed,” explains Berman-Jacob. He continues, “There are several exciting developments underway in PPE thanks to ‘Industry 4.0’, the term given to the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. Wearable tech has started to take off internationally with companies experimenting with a number of things such as work boots that can monitor and regulate the worker’s temperature, pick up if the worker is fatigued and authorise or restrict access to various work areas. Rumour has it they even glow in the dark.” 42 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 // PPE IN TIMBER MANUFACTURING AND WOODWORK • Hard hats, safety glasses, goggles and face shields. • Gloves (including chemically protective gloves). • Padded kickback aprons. • Steel-shanked, steel-toed safety shoes with slip-resistant soles. • Earplugs and earmuffs. • Particulate-resistant and/or chemically resistant overalls. • Respirators. MAIN CAUSES OF INJURY AND ILLNESS IN TIMBER MANUFACTURING • Blows to the head from stock and equipment. • Threats to the eyes and face from flying wood chips, splinters, dust and machine parts. • Cutting and tearing hazards, particularly to the hands and arms, during equipment operations. • The threat of kickback blows to the body, groin and legs during stock-cutting and shaping. • Crushing and laceration threats to the feet, particularly around loading equipment (for example, forklifts) and hand-held power tools (such as chain saws). • Irritation of the skin, mouth, nose, throat and lungs from dust, paint, adhesives and other chemicals. • The constant threat to one’s hearing from machine noise.