Guide to Finding Safety Equipment and Supplies

Keep your people safe with equipment, maintenance and training

By Tonya Vinas

1. Look for equipment that has been tested rigorously.
2. Make training mandatory for all employees, not just those who use the equipment directly.
3. Conduct benchmarking visits to make sure you are using adequate safety practices. Competitors often will allow benchmarking for safety purposes.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start with the basics

Start with a safety plan, including equipment.

I recommend: The Compliance Assistance Quick Start tool from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will help you to define the minimum government requirements for safety for your business.

Look for certification of standards

Don't fall for the claim that something is 'OSHA approved'; the agency doesn't certify safety equipment. The most common form of certification in the United States is self-certification by manufacturers, based on their own tests or those of a third party.

I recommend: In the United States, the Safety Equipment Institute often certifies safety equipment, which then carries the SEI mark.

Shop by category

Some safety equipment is common among many industries, such as first-aid kits. As often as possible, shop by category to keep things simple, although note that your business may have some specialized equipment. Government agencies or trade associations can provide information on specialized gear.

I recommend: The International Safety Equipment Association maintains a list of safety equipment categories.

Look online

The Internet is a convenient tool for comparison shopping.

I recommend: Check these marketplaces: Safety Equipment Directory; SafetyHQ.com; and Safety Express.

Establish regular audits

Appoint at least one person to be in charge of making sure safety equipment is working and not expired (in the case of items such as fire extinguishers). Follow manufacturer's directions for proper storage, maintenance and replacement.

I recommend: Follow these five steps on safety audits.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Have regular drills that include the use of safety equipment to make sure it is working and that everyone knows how to use it.
• •  Lead by example. If the business owner is lax about using eye protection, for instance, the employees will be, too.
• •  Comparison shop. It's O.K. to try to get the best deal on equipment. Better pricing doesn't always equate to inferior equipment. One advantage of the litigious environment in the United States is that producers of inadequate safety equipment don't stay in business long.