Top 5 back to work PPE essentials

As the UK Government begins to ease lockdown restrictions, you’ve probably found yourself thinking about how you’re going to keep colleagues and customers safe once you reopen for business.

To help eliminate some of the confusion about what you need and what you don’t, we’ve put together this list of 5 essential PPE items businesses need to help contain the spread of COVID post-lockdown.

Hand sanitiser

As we noted in a recent article on PPE, good hand hygiene is one of the best ways to minimise the spread of infections, germs and bacteria. 

While you’ll definitely want to keep your soap stores full, it’s also worthwhile stocking up on hand sanitiser too. It’s quick and easy to apply, and you’ll be able to distribute bottles to all of your employees. They can then quickly sanitise when they’re not near a sink or soap dispenser.

For maximum efficacy, make sure your hand sanitiser is at least 70% alcohol in order to kill all germs.

Disinfectant spray

Disinfectant spray applies to pretty much every industry. As we all get back into our workspaces, it’ll be more important than ever to keep surfaces squeaky clean, as COVID is known to survive on some surfaces for as long as 7 days.

As with sanitisers, you’ll need to opt for higher strength options so you can be sure they’re capable of eliminating any contaminants. Ideally, you should look to source a high coverage disinfectant spray that kills 99.9% of bacteria and meets BSEN 1276 & BSEN 1650 requirements. 

Face masks

While the Government hasn’t declared PPE face masks as essential, except for on all modes of public transport, it’s likely your colleagues and customers will feel more secure if you do provide them. That said, not all masks are created equal. If you are going to provide them, you’ll want to ensure they’re high-quality, otherwise, they’ll be ineffective. 

If you’re just commuting and meeting people in the office, for example, a cloth mask will suffice. However, if you are in close contact with potentially infected people, you’ll need a type IIR mask which is 100% fluid transfer resistant to ensure you are safe. Always make sure you wear a CE certified mask to ensure maximum safety.

It’s also important your team understands the correct way to wear a facemask. If you’re unsure, read this post for a breakdown.

Disposable gloves

If you’re in an industry that requires regular contact with other people – such as hairdressing, retail or hospitality – disposable gloves are a must.

As Government comms have already indicated, these are only effective if you keep face touching to a minimum – otherwise, you risk spreading any contaminants from your gloves to your body.

Lastly, you’ll also want to make sure you change for a fresh pair after contact with another person.

Face shields

Face shields don’t apply to every industry. However, we’ve included them on this list as they’ll be invaluable in environments where close human-contact can’t be avoided. This could include hairdressers and barbers, restaurants and cafes, and also smaller retail stores.

Although they might seem a little clunky, some sources suggest they might be a better option for containing the spread than face masks. So, it’ll be worth it for the extra protection you’ll be providing to your staff and customers.

Wrap-up

While these are the 5 most essential PPE items for general business purposes, you might also find that you need more specialised solutions too. Retail stores, for instance, might want to implement traffic flow signs or protective barriers between tills.

We can provide your PPE essentials and also source and manufacture any additional safety items – like those listed in the paragraph above – to help ensure your transition back to work is as safe and smooth as possible. Just use the contact form in the foot of the page to speak to one of our experts who’ll be happy to help.

Stay safe.