ECITB Launches Inclusive PPE Training for Worker Safety
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has launched new training modules focused on the importance of correctly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) in high-hazard environments. Titled ‘PPE: Right Fit. Real Protection’, these e-learning courses aim to ensure all workers receive the same level of protection.
Addressing PPE Fit and Safety
The ECITB’s Learning Experience Platform (LXP) now hosts two micro e-learning courses, known as Toolbox Talks. These courses are designed for both workers who use PPE and those responsible for providing and managing it. They emphasize why proper PPE fit is critical, how it supports safe work in the engineering construction industry (ECI), and the shared responsibility of workers and organizations in ensuring PPE effectiveness.
Mat Parker, Head of Careers and Inclusion at the ECITB, highlighted the significance of suitable PPE. He said, “PPE is often the final barrier between a worker and serious injury or ill health. But it can only provide the protection it was designed to deliver when it is suitable for both the task and the individual wearing it.”
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Collaboration and Inclusive Design
The ECITB worked with the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) to develop the training. WES reviewed the initial proposal and provided industry insights through its WES Safety Forum. Susan Robson, CEO of WES, expressed support for the initiative. She said, “We were delighted to support the ECITB in making sure that we collaboratively build an industry where the best talent feels safe to perform at its best.” Robson noted that while apprentices increasingly feel a sense of belonging, many still lack well-fitting PPE, compromising their safety.
The training modules address the diverse needs of workers, including differences in body size, shape, experience, medical needs, and other factors such as pregnancy, disability, neurodiversity, or religious requirements. By recognizing these differences, organizations can provide PPE that ensures the same level of protection for everyone.
Ensuring Proper PPE Use and Organizational Support
The training modules stress the shared responsibility of workers and organizations in maintaining PPE effectiveness. Workers are instructed to use PPE correctly, conduct regular checks, and report any concerns if the equipment no longer provides adequate protection. Managers, supervisors, and organizations are encouraged to create systems that support good planning, effective selection, ongoing reassessment, and continual improvement.
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Raising Awareness for Safer Work
The Toolbox Talks focus on raising awareness rather than developing technical PPE competence. They use practical engineering construction scenarios to illustrate why correctly fitting and suitable PPE is essential for safety and effectiveness. The modules introduce inclusive PPE as recognized good practice, helping organizations tailor protection to individual needs.
Initially, the PPE training is available to in-scope employers, with plans to expand access to the wider industry in the future.
