Minefield or Opportunity

4 June 2002



Richard Neale looks at the potential and problems in the personal protective equipment market for textile rental operations


The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations came into force in 1992, but employers have been quite slow to take up the requirements and the garment rental sector has been equally cautious in exploiting some of the opportunities offered.

There are two main reasons for this. First, garment rental operators prefer large numbers of garments which are easier to wash and finish, even if they are working on thinner margins. They do not put themselves out at all easily.

Legal implications

Second, everyone has been cautious about the legal implications that could arise if an employee wearing a protective garment were to be injured as a direct result of negligence on the part of the laundry.

The regulations place the responsibility for conducting an adequate and sufficient risk assessment fairly and squarely on the employer, who then has a legal duty to provide PPE in cases where this is identified as being necessary. The employer can obviously seek considerable help from the rental sector, but the basic responsibility cannot be abdicated - it remains with the employer.

However, this question of responsibility is still a legal minefield and a brief chat with any solicitor specialising in this area quickly indicates a need for caution.

The rental operator needs to spell out quite clearly exactly what is being provided, exactly what checks are being undertaken and perhaps more importantly what is expected of the employer.

Many rental operators now offer help to the employer in conducting the basic risk assessment because this provides the opportunity to sell on the basis of the needs identified. More importantly a risk assessment allows them to offer exactly the right level of protection without giving the employer an opportunity to go for an inferior, cheaper alternative that does not meet the need.

An outstanding example is the practice across the fabrication sector of engineering of equipping wearers with flame retardant cotton overalls but omitting the all important leather apron for welders and welder's mates. As a result, Proban overalls enjoy a relatively short life because of progressive degradation from weld splatter. The European Standards state quite clearly that a Proban overall should only be regarded as secondary protection for a welder , with the clear implication that it is inadequate without the leather apron.

Seventeen checks

A careful search through the assorted regulations governing PPE will identify at least 17 particular requirements for the employer to note when equipping his workforce with PPE.

• prepare an adequate risk assessment

• involve the employee in selection of PPE

• only regard PPE as a last resort

• issue the PPE free of charge to the wearer

• ensure that the protection is appropriate to the risk

• ensure that there is no interaction between the PPE and other apparel

• ensure the PPE meets approved European Standards

• ensure a good fit for each wearer

• arrange proper cleansing

• provide adequate storage

• ensure the PPE is available when required

• ensure correct maintenance of zips and other vital components

• arrange examination of the PPE on a regular basis

• carry out repairs to an adequate standard

• give the wearer detailed information on what the PPE will protect against

• provide precise instructions as to when the PPE is to be worn

• offer adequate training to ensure that with PPE, the task can be completed safely.

However, the employee also has responsibilities which are spelled out in the various regulations. These can be summarised as follows:

• to co-operate in selection of appropriate PPE garments

• to use the PPE provided, correctly

• to use the PPE whenever the task demands it

• to undergo appropriate training in use of the PPE

• to report defects promptly and in the laid down manner so as to trigger the repair procedure

• to ensure that any new employee contractor, or visitor under their guidance receives the necessary information relating to PPE

• to treat PPE with respect so that it is always available in the correct place, clean and ready to use, including putting it back in the right place after use

• to arrange correct cleansing when contaminated or at the stipulated frequency

• to wear PPE garments in rotation to ensure even wear.

The rental operator can provide vital support and assistance with over half of the items in the list and these should be clearly detailed in the offer made to the customer. If necessary, they should be incorporated into the contract.

With a little imaginative thought, it is possible to provide a level of service, which is seen to be much higher than simple rental of a garment at negligible additional cost.

By adopting this approach it is possible to achieve a much better margin with PPE than for most other rental garments. The customer is seeking a much higher level of professionalism and many rental operators will not be able to offer the same level of service.

Problem of abuse

The misuse of PPE that leads to the equipment's destruction is not just a financial problem. The subject needs to be handled expertly at the negotiation stage as well as at the service delivery point, otherwise the rental operator makes no margin and the wearer is not adequately protected.

The risk assessment needs to be carefully thought out and the rental operator needs to be fully involved in its planning, rather than be brought in after it has been completed.

Adding value

It makes sense to apply PPE principles to workwear that may not be actually classified as such but which will be greatly improved by adding certain protective features.

Many outdoor garments will benefit not only from high visibility strips but also from water repellent treatment. This can turn a relatively inexpensive jacket into a garment that could be twice as valuable to the customer.

There are many semi-durable finishes for achieving oil and petrol repellency, waterproofing and similar enhancements that can only be renewed reliably every five, 10 or 15 washes as appropriate, by a rental operator. The operator needs to be equipped with proper barcode facilities and an integrated control system.

Antibacterial finishes are becoming particularly useful in certain sectors of the food and drug industry and developments in these areas are still in their infancy.

So the provision of PPE need not be a minefield and it can represent a considerable opportunity for those operators who still regard it as a fringe activity, and not a central core of their business.

Further, personal protective equipment is one area where the smaller operators can compete very effectively with the larger ones, so there is no room for complacency.



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