No matter what type of business we’re talking about, keeping employees as safe as possible is a must. Depending on what kind of job your company does, your staff members might be in danger of anything from electricity to biohazards. The good news is that there are so many things you can do to ensure nothing happens to them and investing in personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of them. With the new PPE trends emerging on a daily basis, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for those that are expected to dominate 2019. With that said, let’s take a look at the top five PPE trends for this year.
More visible clothing
There’s no need to say that employees who work on building new roads and metro rails are always at risk of injury. One of the reasons why this is the case is that they perform their work either late at night or in dark places. The best possible way to keep them safe is to invest in more visible clothing for them. High-visibility clothing has been specifically designed to help employees be noticeable and stay safe while working. New high-visibility solutions are constantly being designed and those released in 2019 should only help workers stay even safer.
Smartwatches becoming more popular
You probably didn’t think we’d forget about one of the most popular types of devices available at the moment. Smartwatches have gained a lot of attention lately and the whole world is excited about what’s next for smartwatches. The best thing about these little things is that they allow employees to stay connected with their team and make sure there’s nothing going wrong. Not to mention that smartwatches can also keep track of your employees’ health, allowing you to act as quickly as possible in case of an injury.
Eliminating noise
Noise pollution is a thing and we’ve all heard about workers who’ve had their hearing damaged at work. If you’re running a construction business or operate in a similar industry, getting noise-canceling ear protection solutions for your employees is a must. These little things are easy to use and can help you eliminate all the noise that has the potential to hurt your employees. Not to mention that they can isolate and enhance speech while reducing background noise. Devices like this are expected to gain more popularity this year as companies start caring more about the effect their operations have on their worker’s hearing.
Better flame- and chemical-retardant suits
A number of employees die every year in fires or due to being exposed to chemicals. If your team members work in an environment where issues like this are possible, investing in flame- and chemical-retardant suits is recommended. This type of suit is constantly being upgraded and the most recent ones can help employees keep their bodies safe from all kinds of burns. They’re also being designed to make the employee feel comfortable and less likely to make a mistake. Another important thing to mention is that we might see more safety regulations regarding this type of suit.
Improved eye protection
According to recent reports, more than 2,000 employees suffer an eye injury at work. While these may not always be serious injuries, they often result in missed workdays. The most effective way to minimize this type of injury is to ask your employees to wear safety goggles. There are more and more eye protection solutions available but the latest ones really seem to be changing the game for everyone. For example, some of the most popular safety glasses at the moment include ventilation channels and hard-coated lenses that people seem to love.
Final thoughts
With the way technology has been advancing, it’s no surprise there are so many new PPE trends to keep in mind. If you want to do everything that’s in your power to keep your employees safe, make sure you keep an eye out for some new trends that are yet to emerge.
