What is the Importance of PPE For Food Industry Roles?

The role of food safety PPE is more important than ever. With improving food safety standards and stringent worker safety regulations, the use of PPE is gaining momentum in the right direction. PPE for food industry is very essential as the life of employees and customer satisfaction depends upon how safely the food is handled throughout the various stages of food handling and processing.

In this blog post, we will discuss the role of PPE and how to select PPE for food industry.

Importance of PPE for Food Industry

PPE for the food industry is required for workers as it protects them from various hazards. The food factory PPE also helps in ensuring food safety standards, so customers can receive top quality products.

Suggested Read: Your Guide To Australian PPE Standards & Requirements

Reduced Risk of Injuries

Food industry workers are exposed to extreme injury risks caused by sharp objects and rising temperatures. Biochemical hazards are also prevalent in the food industry. The use of PPE in food industry workers protects from various injury risks including bruises, cuts, burns, fractures, amputations and physiological disorders.

Complements Worker Safety

Since comprehending the effects of any workplace injury on the worker can not be determined accurately, the best way to circumvent secondary risks is to protect the workers. The use of Personal Protective Equipment or PPE in the food industry saves workers. Thus, it reduces the secondary risks of expensive healthcare, reduced earning potential and financial losses for the workers. In short, it offers workers a sense of security in the food industry.

Protects Customers

Food processing PPE use among workers also helps in protecting customers along with the workers. The risks of food cross contamination, allergic reactions and food borne illness are reduced among the food customers and consumers if the workers wear PPE on a regular basis. It means that the more regularly your food processing workers wear PPE as their workwear, the more protection you can offer to every person involved in the food industry supply chain.

Better Employee-Management Relationship

Since PPE is among the top food production safety practices recommended by experts, it builds a foundation for protecting employees against occupational illness and risks. The employee behavior steers into a positive direction, given a sense of protection is instilled among the employees. It helps the management to reduce employee absenteeism, improve work motivation, boost efficiency and enhance the overall job satisfaction score among food industry employees.

How to Select PPE for Food Industry?

PPE or Personal Protective Equipment is a set of all the important work wear that employees must wear to shield against environmental and direct contact hazards in the food industry. It created a barrier between risk factors and workers, ensuring that every product and worker is safe from all types of hazards. Since most tasks in food processing are done by hand, PPE use is important in every step. Here is how to choose PPE material:

Choose Cut Resistant Material

Cut resistant material is suitable for PPE as it shields workers from major injuries like cuts and scrapes. Cutting machines, sharp blades, cutters and knives can lead to most cut injuries. Choose considerably thick cut resistant material, especially for the PPE gloves to ensure that the food line and workers are protected from cuts and biological contamination.

Also Read: Personal Protective Equipment: How to Choose the Quality PPE

Consider Thermal Resistant PPE

Thermal resistant PPE protects food industry workers from extreme temperatures. The thermal protective PPE is made from insulating material and it can protect the worker from burns caused by holding hot surfaces or working near extreme temperatures. Again, choose a thick PPE for best thermal resistance.

Choose Liquid Protection PPE

Since some substances involved in food processing are high in moisture content, liquid protection is also an important factor to consider for PPE selection. The PPE material should offer proper grip so the worker can hold the working surface correctly and function properly.