Training partner - September 2020

IT SEEMS that masks are the issue of the moment, with the UK’s Government's belated realisation that they will help in reducing the spread of COVID 19, controversial perhaps looking at Twitter, but we are safety people and we need to lead on these issues. These have been compulsory in parts of Europe for some time and we have not seen the fuss that has taken over our social media, and I won’t mention the USA!

There is a well accepted Hierarchy of Control in managing risks in which the use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is the last resort, and least effective, method of control.  Just as a quick reminder here it is in brief:

• Elimination - Physically Remove the Hazard

• Substitution - Replace the Hazard with something less hazardous

• Engineering Controls - Isolate the People from the Hazard

• Administrative Controls - Control the Way People Work

• Personal Protective Equipment - Protect the Worker with PPE

I think the risk is well established - a highly contagious disease that has a nasty habit of killing people. Looking at why we are now being asked to wear PPE we should look at the other alternatives first:

• Elimination - not feasible at the current time, perhaps when a vaccine is available.

• Substitution - whilst it would be nice to swap COVID 19 for a less virulent and deadly disease this will never be possible.

• Engineering Controls - these have been tried with some success during the partial lockdown, definitely reduced the spread, but quite rightly we cannot stay locked up for ever.

• Administrative Controls - Social Distancing and handwashing are still of vital importance and from what I read are very effective controls.  The problem is with more people out and about it becomes more difficult to maintain the standards required, especially when alcohol gets involved.

• Personal Protective Equipment - Given our Engineering Controls are no longer in place and the Administrative Controls are less effective it is only logical to look at the last line of defence PPE or in this case a mask.

As somebody who has been wearing them for some time, my wife is asthmatic, and getting a few funny looks for it, I really cannot see what the fuss is about.  Just another sensible precaution to protect myself and others. Yes it was brought in a bit late as this really should have coincided with the weakening of other controls, but better late than never.

As for those strange arguments about imposing the wearing of masks, all seem to have no real validity except for the medical exemptions. Wearing clothes when I go out is required so why not an additional garment? The positive news is that the vast majority seem to be sticking to the rules, that is until their phone rings, when the masks are then quickly pulled down under the chin!

I appreciate the medical evidence has been mixed over the period of Covid but it seems to have now settled on wearing appropriate masks does add a further level of protection.  Again the dreaded Twitter has some interesting comments about people feeling a lot safer knowing most people are wearing masks, which is probably as important as the protection they give.

Problems exist. My wife has made some masks, from a very good pattern shared by some spanish friends which are very good.  Some of the ones purchased, with funky designs far less so but easy to spot that they do not fit well and have large gaps either side of the material so other than a fashion statement aren't worth wearing, so we have had to order a few more. The cost is small and my family's well being is worth far more than a few pounds.

They are not a perfect solution but just add that last line of defence from what is a potentially deadly virus, so why not just wear them (unless you have a medical exemption), what have you got to lose?

Gary Fallaize, is managing director at RRC international. For more information, visit www.rrc.co.uk