For those working in international organisations, and use a single source for PPE supply could you please advise how you manage this; more specifically the standards and specification requirements i.e. ANSI/EN CE. Currently all our regions source and supply locally their PPE however we want to streamline and standardise this process, whilst ensuring local legisltative compliance. 

Thanks

If you are unfortunate enough to have US influence you will find (from my experience at a number of employments) attempts at foisting corporate policy worldwide e.g. blanket eye protection when the national RA states none required or when working with substances how do you line up ACGIH / NIOSH controls against European OEL or Hi-Vis where North America uses crossed bands whilst the rest of the world...?

It has been said many times before in respect to PPE there is no "one size fits all" and certainly no manufacturer that can satisfy the global market with a single product compliant in every jurisdiction - we don't even operate one international clothing sizing system.

Should such a mythical beast exist the products would be prohibitvley expensive due to testing to the compliance standards in every potential market.

Sourcing at a national level ensures necessary local compliance paramount in avoiding prosecution.

Even in the EU where we work to the same harmonised standards I have yet to find a supplier who operates in every country allowing a specific catalogue reference being given to each operating site.

We looked at it, and decided against it.  Our PPE is specced and sourced on a national basis, because although 'streamline' and 'standardise' sounds good, we decided it would cause more headaches than it solved, particularly around legislative compliance.  

Our procedures refer to 'appropriate' specification (or some equivalent weasely word).  There is a guideline document which sets out the standard ppe kit and provides guidance for our common operations based on UK standards.  The management team in each country then defines the national applicable spec PPE, which is supposed to be at least 'equivalent' to the UK-specified standard.  None of the non-UK areas we operate in have more onerous standards (at least with respect to PPE), so making stuff equivalent to UK standard gives us the same level of provision throughout.