It’s August, the hottest time of the year for much of the United States. In many work environments, the challenges of heat exposure and heat exhaustion only intensify during these summer months, often resulting in unbearable working conditions. Workers are faced with a choice: to comply with safety policies and wear their required layers of protective apparel or to remove a layer (or two) to help them be more comfortable. This is not a difficult decision for an alarming number of people.
The reality at work sites across the United States is that many workers may not be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) as mandated. An online survey conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional in August 20121 found that an astounding 82 percent of safety professionals polled had observed workers failing to wear PPE during the past year.
Non-compliance with PPE standards is consistently listed as a top concern for safety professionals, as shown in the Kimberly-Clark workplace safety research since 2006. In fact, 2012 marked the sixth year that the study revealed a PPE non-compliance rate of at least 80 percent.
In every work environment, the importance of complying with PPE standards is repeated on safety calls, in safety meetings, and in safety training. Many workers have seen their co-workers get injured or worse, yet they continue to put themselves at risk for serious injury or even death by not following important safety procedures. Why is this?
