Rank: Forum user 
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Following an assessment by an occupational health advisor, one of our operatives has been advised to wear full face breathing apparatus with back pack filters instead of the half face breathing mask currently issued to him.
The company has a quantity of full face masks which have already been worn by others, said operative has refused to wear what he see's as second hand RPE and has asked for a new one.
Comments please.
PS - All operatives were issued with there own half face masks and not expected to share.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I can't see why he can refuse to use 'second-hand' RPE if it's been properly cleaned and he's been face fitted for it. I'd say that if it's fit for purpose he has to use it, but in the real world I can also see that this is a thorny problem. The law says he has to use what is provided if it's fit for purpose, diplomacy says that trying to compel him to do so might be more trouble that its worth. Not that I'm sitting on the fence or anything....
John
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Rank: Forum user 
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I come across this attitude sometimes with ALL our PPE.
"It's PERSONAL equipment.. I'm not wearing someone else's kit"
etc. etc.
My reply is this,
"I spent 14 years sharing PPE between users. It always performed, always fitted and never failed. Why? Because we looked after it. Took personal responsibility for our own and others safety. Acted as professionals and looked out for each other.
If you feel you can't take care of another's safety , look out for a colleague and act professionally.. then there is the door."
There is a misunderstanding of the term personal I feel.
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Rank: Forum user
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If the equipment is 'fit for purpose' then in effect the employer has discharged its duty to provide and protect. Part of the being 'fit for purpose' for maintainable RPE is a regime of maintenance, I have never come across any manufacturers maint schedule that has excluded the need to disinfect as part of that scheme.
Is it feasible to simply issue a copy of the performed maint record (to include the cleaning aspect) to the recipient of the equipment? In turn this may give confidence that the appropriate cleaning activity has been performed. I appreciate this is generating paperwork at a time when we are meant to be reducing it.
Naturally the difference in cost for a half mask / fly mask against a full face, filtered, battery fed backpack is several hundred pounds. If you cave in, how long before everyone wants one?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Just a couple of questions.
What are you protecting against?
What face piece are you providing?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Oh and it's fine providing you can demonstrate you clean it properly.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Is the face mask a separate piece to the battery pack and filters? I could see why he would want his own personal facemask, but he may be OK with using the other parts as long as they are like ours and all plug together? Perhaps this would be a compromise?
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