What’s the biggest personal health risk in a company? Is it respiratory hazards, caused by silica in the sand-casting process? Or is it burns caused by molten metal splash during melting and pouring? There will be different answers. There are many hazards present in the foundry and castings industry. Some of the most common include molten metal burns, silica dust, and slips/trips and falls. Some of these are very specific to the industry, while other risks are more general. Whatever the risk, the severity of the hazard should be identified along with the likelihood of it occurring, to remove it or protect against it.
Where does personal protective equipment fit in?
In the UK, employers must protect workers from health and safety risks. This includes issuing free personal protective equipment (PPE) if a risk assessment shows it is needed after other controls have been applied. While it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure the PPE is fit for purpose, as well as providing instructions on safe use and ensuring it is maintained properly, working together with a reputable supplier of PPE and safety clothing makes the process easier.
This is where help is available
The correct PPE is required for the task; whether this is powered respiratory, aluminised clothing or specialist safety footwear. It is vital to choose a supplier who can offer the appropriate service level in terms of advice, next day delivery, and clear communication at every stage of the process. MF Safety & Workwear is a PPE and clothing supplier based centrally in the UK in the Midlands. Family owned and run, the company has been established in PPE and safety since 1991 and has successfully supplied multiple sectors across the UK over this time. While the company was already supplying foundries with respiratory protection against silica dust, since the increased HSE activity in 2022/23, they say the turning point in the company’s role supplying the high heat market was an “eye-opening event as to the extreme risks present” in the cast metals industry.
That’s because they received an urgent request to provide molten metal protective clothing following a metal splash incident, and successfully met the customer’s requirements in upgrading the workwear to E3/D3 standard. This provided greater protection to all workers on the foundry floor.
Since then, the company has been exploring the industry and is now helping other foundry, castings and forging companies with the following PPE:
- Aluminised clothing.
- High heat protective gloves.
- High heat head and face protection.
- Specialist foundry boots.
- Molten metal splash clothing.
- Respiratory protection.
- Hand cut protection.
However, this is just the beginning! MF Safety & Workwear has the aim to be the helpful specialists that provide customers with products (in stock for next day delivery where possible), along with information and guidance to help companies protect staff with a service that can be trusted.
Contact MF Safety & Workwear, Tel: +44 (0)115 9252261 email: [email protected] web: www.mfsafety.co.uk