3M urges companies to economise not compromise
July 16th 2009 To support businesses during tough economic times, diversified technology company 3M, is offering advice on ways to stretch budgets without compromising on quality or performance. The company is urging organisations not to be too quick in cutting costs by cutting back on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – a move that could potentially put their employees’ wellbeing at risk.
Leona Shepherd, General Sales and Marketing Manager for 3M’s Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division, explains: “We recognise that this is a really tough time for all those in business and there is huge pressure to cut costs. We need to make sure that we are providing our customers with the best supportive service, as well as the best products for their workplace, so that they can get the most out of their PPE without compromising health and safety.”
As experts in workplace health and safety, 3M recognised that manufacturers needed to be providing more support to companies. Leona continues: “A recent independent report that we commissioned showed that health and safety managers needed more support in specifying and maintaining PPE. We have some fantastic services and offerings in place - we just need to ensure people know about them!”
Expert hearing advice
Over the past year, through its acquisition of Aearo Technologies, 3M has widened its product range to include the E-A-R and Peltor brands – both leading products in the hearing protection market. Importantly, along with the addition of these highly regarded products, 3M has retained the hearing conservation expertise and experience that was previously offered by Aearo.
Richard Beardsley, Hearing Conservation Specialist, explains: “Hearing conservation is a service that we offered through Aearo and continue to offer now we have become part of 3M. We have developed a presentation to support health and safety managers as they educate and train their workforce on why protecting their hearing is so important. One of our fully trained representatives will visit the customer to go through various aspects of noise hazards and the damage that can be caused to the ear. It is this kind of information and help that we feel is essential so that we can provide our customers with the support they need to carry out their jobs safely.”
The Hearing Noise Check is another highly effective service that 3M is continuing to offer. A representative visits the workplace and by using a meter, will check the noise levels within the environment. This helps the company understand its noise hazards, allowing the selection of appropriate hearing protection.
Both of these services are available to key customers in a variety of different formats which can be tailored to their specific needs.
Instant access to the right advice
3M has a dedicated technical advice helpline to guide callers through all the complexities of specifying the correct PPE and matching their needs. This ensures that those with health and safety responsibilities have the right information to specify the correct PPE with the correct level of protection and to keep it properly maintained.
Talking about the diverse needs of the 3M Health and Safety Helpline, Pete Hilton, who works on the helpline, said: “When people are unsure of the exact PPE they need, they tend to ‘play safe’ and buy the highest level of protection possible. However, this not always a safe option and could work out a lot more expensive. For those who are new to the safety business, facing a hazardous process, or are unsure about certain legislation, selecting PPE that is fit for purpose can be complicated – especially when more than one hazard is involved and equipment needs to be compatible.”
Pete warned: “Unless people have been properly trained, trying to match risk assessment data to the appropriate level of protection can be extremely difficult, particularly when faced with a catalogue of hundreds of products. It is common practice to over-specify on PPE, but this can present its own dangers. For example, if hearing protection is too great, it could not only affect the wearer’s awareness of warning systems and communication, but also affect their sense of well-being due to a lack of sensory input.
“At 3M we try to look at the bigger picture where safety is concerned and often highlight areas that may have been overlooked. For example, we would discuss the type of environment; the availability of natural oxygen (if respirators are required); the effects of the application itself; the concentration of the hazard and any other factors that may affect the suitability of the equipment or the protection required. It’s not a sales pitch.”
An option just for you
Choosing the right safety equipment can be a very daunting process. 3M’s comprehensive product range covers a vast spectrum of an organisation’s PPE needs. Each product line has a range of options to meet all specifications and budgets. The many selection tools available help make product choice a clear and simple process.
However, the personal touch still remains and the 3M Health and Safety Helpline and sales teams are available to offer advice on finding a solution to the requirements, quickly and cost-effectively.
Pete explains: “Because our range is so vast, selecting one type of respirator or hearing defender may be daunting. By using the selection processes you can easily identify which product you need for which environment. If you are still unsure, in one phone call a 3M specialist can recommend the best product for the job in hand and even arrange samples. We make sure that you are getting the best product, support and value for money”.
Care and maintenance
Other services provided include providing advice and methods on ensuring that the equipment is properly maintained, allowing it to protect for longer. Leona explains: “Sometimes, once a product has been bought, customers can feel that the support has disappeared. We know how hard it is for health and safety managers to ensure that all PPE is properly maintained and workers trained on how to wear it correctly. However, it is essential that this is carried out to in order achieve the optimum life from the system, as well as saving companies time and money”.
New guidance packages have been developed to show how regular checks and maintenance can help maintain protection levels, optimise the lifespan of the product and avoid the cost of early replacement. A new care and maintenance folder will also be sent out to all users who request it.
Leona concludes: “We genuinely want to ensure that people specify the right product for the job, that it is used correctly and cared for to maximise its life. With concern over the current economic climate it is more important than ever that health and safety managers are given the right support so that they don’t feel pressured to make cuts – which could compromise health.”
3M is a global leader in the manufacture of PPE. The integration of the Aearo business has dramatically bolstered 3M’s portfolio of respiratory, hearing, eyewear, head protection and sorbent equipment. Offering hundreds of PPE products that help keep millions of people safe at work every day, 3M’s drive is to provide a holistic safety solution for all industries.
For lots of clever ideas on making savings across your PPE expenditure and to arrange a free product trial*, register now at www.3M.co.uk/savingmoney or contact the 3M Health and Safety Helpline on 0870 60 800 60 (UK) or 1800 320 500 (Ireland) and quote 'Saving Money'. 3M will then arrange for one of its experienced representatives to call you to discuss how you can cut costs without cutting down on the high quality you expect. Can you afford not to find out more?
The 3M Health and Safety Helpline is available during office hours, Monday to Friday. For more information, visit www.3M.co.uk/ohes
*Trial offer limited to one pack of safety products per company. Products will be selected following a telephone consultaton, so that companies recieve products relevant to their work.
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