Survey Says 85 Percent Don't Pay Heed to Safety

If there is one thing all workplace safety experts agree on, it is the need for proper protective equipment when undertaking hazardous tasks. Yet 85 percent of the safety professionals surveyed by Kimberly-Clark Professional at the National Safety Council Congress said they had observed people in their organizations failing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when they should have been. Nearly half said this had happened on numerous occasions. In addition, 66 percent of safety professionals said PPE compliance was an issue within their organizations, and 40 percent described it as a major concern that they were attempting to correct. What was the main reason for non-compliance? At the top of the list was a feeling of invulnerability, as in: "An accident won't happen to me." Other reasons were lack of awareness of workplace hazards, lack of training on how to don, doff, and use PPE, dealing with ill-fitting and uncomfortable garments, and lack of "breathability" and inadequate supplies.