If your business has a work environment that exposes your employees to workplace hazards, you must adhere to specific rules and regulations. These are in place to protect your workforce and provide a safer workspace. As an employer, it falls on your shoulders to provide the accommodating PPE for your employees. Luckily, Top2Toe is here to assist you with branded protective clothing solutions.
Today, we discuss the importance of employer and employee responsibilities regarding protective clothing.
Employer Responsibilities
- Providing Protective Clothing and Gear: In South Africa, employers are responsible for providing their employees or workforce with free and corresponding protective clothing items that will give them protection to specific workplace hazards. These hazards can include exposure to extreme heat, dangerous chemicals, sharp objects, and heavy objects that can fall from above, for example.
- Accurate Risk Assessment: Before an employer can provide their employees with PPE that is suited to their specific work environment, they are responsible for conducting an accurate risk assessment of their workspaces. This will shed light on the specific workplace hazards that must be considered for accommodating PPE.
- Instructions and Training: Once the correct and suitable PPE has been provided to employees, the employer is responsible for instructing and training their workforce on the correct use of their protective clothing items. This is crucial, as it can reduce the possibility of workplace incidents and liability claims.
Employee Responsibilities
- Correct and Proper Use of PPE: With the provision of protective clothing items, as well as completing the training and understanding the instructions on how to properly use the provided PPE, employees are obliged to wear and apply their PPE when working in specific workspaces. This is to protect them from any workplace hazards during their shifts, as well as to adhere to the specific rules and regulations within such a workspace.
- Accurate Reporting: Should a PPE item malfunction or sustain damage, it is the responsibility of the employee to accurately and immediately report this to their employer. This will ensure that the employer is aware of the situation and can provide a replacement item as soon as possible.
- PPE Maintenance and Care: Employees are responsible for taking care of their protective clothing items to the best of their ability. The employer can hold an employee accountable for damage to their PPE that stems from equipment mishandling or careless behaviour.
Top2Toe is your solution to quality branded protective clothing for your business in Gauteng. Feel free to browse our website for details and catalogues on the available PPE solutions that we can provide your business.