The development of guidelines for specific industries in order to encourage and promote the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with the intended purpose

Status:

completed 12/1996

Aims:

The potential which personal protective equipment has for the prevention of accidents remains by and large unexploited, as it is not put into use. Reasons for this exist at many levels, with the consequence that until now long-term success could not be attributed to specific measures. Goal: the development of a unified, interdisciplinary strategy (in particular selection, operational introduction, employee information and motivation) and implementation in the form of guidelines for specific industries for employers, superiors, work protection supervisors and employees in general.

Activities/Methods:

Organisation analyses, observations, surveys of PPE manufacturers and in 45 works from three industries (mining, construction, chemical); comparisons of estimates with results; draft guidelines; evaluation in 30 works (in two phases)

Results:

Conceptual guideline and model examples following a unified integrative approach (technical, organisational and behaviour-related measures) using findings derived from motivational psychology. The following are taken into account as important parameters for acceptance of PPE: form according to requirements and needs of the target group, comfort, awareness of the particular danger involved, minimum obstruction when carrying out work, contemporary look, operational guidelines and the degree of awareness of the same, consistent implementation, exemplary behaviour, methods of encouraging participants to pass on information. The guidelines follow a systematic sequence; a structure specific to the industry and the target group enables those concerned to identify with the information/tasks applicable to them. The guideline concept and the model examples presented require a professional layout as well as a systematic effective advertising strategy and sales distribution in order to extend awareness and implementation.

Publications:

Strobel, Noetel: Strategien zur Förderung des Einsatzes von Persönlichen Schutzausrüstungen. Die BG (1997) Nr. 2, S. 81 und GIT-Labor-Fachzeitschrift (1997) Nr. 4, S. VI-X

Strobel, Wittmann, Noetel: Motivation zum Tragen von Persönlichen Schutzausrüstungen. Die BG (1997) Nr. 8, S. 403-412

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