Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is equipment designed to keep people safe from health and safety risks. PPE includes everything from helmets, goggles, and protective boots. In response to the covid-19 pandemic, many people have been using facemasks as PPE to protect them from passing and inhaling airborne germs and viruses.
It’s important for businesses to store and manage PPE correctly. PPE needs to be in a dry, clean storage unit, which makes shipping containers ideal for the storage of PPE.
What Is Classed As PPE?
There is a broad spectrum of items that can be classed as PPE. If the item protects you from a health and safety risk in the workplace, it is likely to be classed as PPE. If you work in a loud environment, for example, you will need PPE such as ear plugs or ear defenders. Helmets, high-visibility clothing, and safety harnesses would be suitable PPE on a building site.
Items that do not include PPE are ordinary work uniforms, items for food hygiene, such as gloves and hairnets, sports equipment, or travel protection, such as a bicycle helmet.
What Are The Storage Requirements of PPE?
It’s likely that most workplaces will have a PPE store. Many places require PPE to be worn daily, or they may stockpile protective equipment so there are always extra supplies on hand if needed. If PPE is not stored correctly, the level of protection (and health and safety compliance) can be compromised due to damaged equipment.
Generally, PPE must be stored in a dry, sanitary storage space. This space needs to be easily accessible for workers and PPE must be readily available. Reusable PPE also needs to be maintained properly, cleaned regularly and generally kept in good condition. For many types of PPE, a shipping container is an ideal storage solution.
How Can Storage Containers Be Used To Safely Store PPE?
One of the most popular ways that shipping containers are used is for on-site storage. Since these steel containers are designed to transport cargo around the world, they are robust and easily modified, which makes them the perfect storage solution for most kinds of PPE.
As with most shipping containers, both used and new (single-trip) containers from S Jones Containers are rented and sold as water and wind tight. This means that any products stored inside the container will be kept dry. If you are concerned about condensation and moisture in a container, you can use moisture traps with drying crystals that absorb any droplets in the air. Alternatively you can have an anti-condensation lining fitted, such as grafotherm, to absorb excess moisture.
To maximise the available storage space, consider using good quality shelving or racking. Shelving utilises the height of your container so there is no wasted space and you can store extra PPE and get the most out of your unit. Multiple racking units can be connected, so you can customise how much shelving you want to have in your unit. You can also have custom-built shelving fixed to the walls of the container for additional strength and security.
How To Monitor Your Storage of PPE
PPE management is important to ensuring your workplace is operating safely and compliantly. As a result, you will periodically need to monitor the status of any PPE stored away to ensure it is of the necessary quality and quantity.
Keeping an inventory of PPE, including which member of staff has what equipment, can be helpful for managing stock levels. This also helps ensure that someone is responsible for the care of the PPE they are using. Additionally, an inventory will help you ensure that reusable equipment is being cleaned thoroughly between uses. When checking the PPE, look for any expiry dates that render your equipment unusable. Similarly, it’s recommended that you look for breakages or missing parts that may need replacing.
PPE Storage From S Jones Containers
If you think your PPE stock management would benefit from a safe and secure storage unit, get in touch with S Jones Containers and we’d ensure you get the right storage solution for your needs.
We have over 40 years of experience in the hire, sale and conversion of shipping containers, so our friendly team can answer a range of container storage enquiries, and offer impartial advice to ensure you get the correct container for your PPE store.
