Any PPE system you choose to protect your team has to be able to accommodate the variable UK weather. From being breathable to help you stay cool in warm temperatures, to protecting you from the driving rain and the cold when working at the top of a wind turbine.  But how is that protection measured? What’s the relevant standard and why is it important?  The British Standard for protection from rain BS 343 2019 sets out the standards that PPE claiming to be...

If you’re working in an environment where explosions are a risk, then wearing PPE with anti-static properties is an absolute must.  But you don’t have to compromise on the protection you choose, as a wide range of our Arc Flash workwear is also certified to EN1149-5, the European Standard for Protective Clothing – Electrostatic Properties. Why is anti-static protection important in PPE? It’s easy for small static charges to build up when undertaking what seem like routine tasks. If discharged they can create...

You might think you can’t have protection from flash fires and Arc Flash in the same garments, but you’d be mistaken. ProGARM’s range of Arc Flash PPE also has built-in flash fire protection. Here’s what you need to know. What is a flash fire and where are they a risk? Flash fires are one of many potential dangers to people who work in high-risk environments.  They happen when fuel or flammable liquids mix with air and combust, spreading flames almost...

For many decades, flame resistant clothing has helped reduce the risk of severe burn injuries to workers. These types of garments are either made from just treated cotton and more often nowadays made from self-extinguishing materials and they provide managers with a reliable option for keeping their teams safe. However, anyone responsible for health and safety will understand that the job is a constant challenge, as industries evolve and we discover new dangers.  This is why it’s important to keep...

At ProGARM, we’re always improving our range of arc flash PPE which is why we’re one of the first manufacturers to launch an arc flash hoodie that is as “comfortable as wearing pyjamas”.  What makes our arc flash hoodie different? Your employees will enjoy wearing it … in fact many already are. Our arc flash hoodie has already been given 9.2 out of 10 in a recent user trial. We focus on the small details because the things that seem...

It should be no surprise that winter arrives each year, with its colder temperatures, less hospitable weather and, with it, a new set of health and safety risks.  As with most health and safety topics, planning and preparing for prevention are the best tools to make sure that your workforce are safe. Here are some of the biggest health and safety risks in winter weather and what you can do about them.  Slips and trips As the weather turns wetter...

Nobody plans to hit a cable when doing groundworks, but even when all of the relevant checks have been carried out the risk is always present. What PPE do you need to protect against cable strikes when breaking ground? The risks and potential injuries from cable strikes In the HSE’s guidance, Avoiding danger from underground services, stark warnings are given about what can happen to someone if they accidentally hit an underground cable.  “Injuries are usually caused by the explosive effects of...

A company has been fined after three workers suffered severe burns in an Arc Flash incident in Arizona, US. The incident at metal smelting company ASARCO occurred after the installation of a breaker into a 4,160-volt switchgear.  As a result of the incident the company was prosecuted by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and faced $278,456 in penalties in June 2019. In its prosecution, OSHA cited the company for its failure to provide a pre-job briefing...

Eliminating workplace accidents is an ambition shared across British industry. Keeping people safe at work is of paramount importance. But is a zero-accident environment a realistic aim? The evidence suggests not.  In a recent paper, Fred Sherratt and Andrew Dainty, of Anglia Ruskin University and Loughborough Universities respectively, explored the impact of a zero harm approach in the British construction industry and the results were surprising.  The research team looked at the relationship between aiming for zero accidents and the actual...

There are lots of factors to consider when thinking about how to predict when an Arc Flash might occur. Here we give a brief overview of what you need to know and do in order to properly understand the risks and predict when an Arc Flash incident is more likely. The hierarchy of control is commonly used to assess and understand risk – read more about it here. This article will discuss just a few aspects of that hierarchy. Using Arc Flash...