In the world of Tradies, there is a heap of acronyms for everything from the unimportant to the important. One of those is PPE – personal protective equipment, and another is PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking). If you are starting out in the industry, you will need to invest in workwear to various degrees, and you might want to know who foots the bill when you buy workwear clothes online.
Start compiling your basket of workwear requirements here.
Let’s start with defining PPE.
What Is PPE?
The term personal protective equipment comprises anything used or worn to protect a person’s health and safety. Items that fall under this heading include, but are not limited to:
- protective boots and safety shoes
- earplugs
- face masks, face shields and respirators
- protective gloves and goggles
- hard hats
- high visibility clothing
- safety harnesses
- sunscreen
- risk management
The model Work And Healthy Safety regulations stipulate that business owners work through risk control measures from high to low when managing their business risk. The regulation ranks PPE as a very low-level safety control measure, viz. level 3, which is a measure that cannot control the hazard at the source.
Level 3 control measures are depending on human behaviour and supervision. PPE cannot be relied on to resolve the control of hazards.
PPE Responsible Parties
PCBUs are legally required to firstly remove risk from a workplace, but if that is not possible, then they put risk control measures in place. These controls may include PPE as a last resort or as an additional control.
It is important for workers to note that they are legally required to be part of the choice process of PPE. The PPE must be reasonably practical, and wearers, where necessary, must be supplied with information or training in the proper use, storage, and maintenance of it.
The PCBU is responsible for providing PPE unless another company, e.g. a labour-hire company, has already provided it. The PCBU must provide and pay for clothing and equipment that are PPE, but a worker’s regular pants, jeans or regular workwear are not generally considered PPE. Protective clothing and equipment examples are items such as boots, safety shoes, and high visibility clothing.
There are responsibilities that fall onto workers as well. Workers are, under regulation 46, legally obliged to:
- Use or wear the PPE as per the information, training, or instructions provided by the PCBU.
- Not knowingly abuse or misuse the equipment or workwear.
- Notify the PCBU of any damage, defect, or sanitation requirements of the equipment.
- Notify the PCBU if the equipment is uncomfortable, ill-fitting, or is causing an adverse reaction.
A worker may not refuse to wear or use the PPE.
Contact our workwear clothes specialists online today about choosing the most suitable gear for your workday from quality brands in Sydney.
Related Tag: Safety Clothes Shop
