New PPE concept unveiled

The new PK Safety aPPE is available on mobile phones and tablets, providing users with access to PPE information at the touch of a screen.

PK Safety provides companies with total PPE support, helping and assisting during the assessment stage and then supplying the equipment. The company recently expanded into new premises on the outskirts of Cardiff in South Wales, providing health and safety support to businesses across the UK. 2016 is the 2nd year that PK Safety has exhibited at RWM after a successful debut in 2015.

At RWM, PK Safety demonstrated specific PPE for the recycling industry, such as Cut Protective Safety Gloves and Foul Weather High Visibility Clothing, all which can be found on the new aPPE App.

The new aPPE mobile App is a new concept in delivering information on PPE and the initial launch is specifically for the recycling sector.

Roy Wells, PK Safety’s managing director, explained the thought process behind the new App: “Understanding and interpreting health and safety legislation can be challenging, especially when assessing PPE. The wide scope of designs, colours, and types of PPE can make even the simplest selection difficult. We wanted to simplify that process.”

The new aPPE App has been in development for over 6 months and is a first for Health and Safety in the Recycling industry.

“Modern technology now means that most items we need or desire can be found with a couple of touches on the screen of our mobile device,” explained Wells.  “However, finding and then selecting the right PPE can still be difficult.”

PK Safety conducted extensive research in the recycling and manufacturing sectors and concluded that there was a need to develop a way to deliver PPE information quickly and ‘at the touch of a screen’; a process that reflects how purchasers source products in the digital age.

The PK Safety aPPE App has been developed to simplify the process of identifying, selecting, and purchasing health and safety equipment. The aPPE App is downloaded onto a mobile device, phone or tablet, and then visually presents the user with a number of options. Once the environment and hazards have been selected, the App then presents the user with a select number of options that fit the selection criteria. A typical hazard could be cuts to the hands and by selecting ‘Cut Protection’ the user would be presented with Safety Gloves suitable for that application. The selection appears visually on the mobile device as the App dresses a mannequin with the selected PPE.

The user, whether this is the purchasing manager, operations manager or health and safety manager, can also use the PPE App to consider potential changes in the workplace. Changes could involve relocating workers within a process, using new equipment or processing a new type of waste material. The new working parameters can be inputted into the aPPE App and the user is presented with the potential PPE requirements. The PPE requirements may stay the same, or the assessment might highlight that the PPE needs to be changed to comply with the health and safety requirements of the new area, equipment or material.

The new aPPE App helps navigate the wide range of legislation, guidance documents, approved codes of practice, research papers and industry practices by providing health and safety solutions based on industry knowledge.

The aPPE App is free to download and there is no obligation to purchase any of the selected equipment from PK Safety. The immediacy of the information and the ease of use make PPE assessment quicker and more accurate. Ultimately, this is not only beneficial to the workers but also to the recycling company.