Hello,

Sorry this may come across a bit long winded but I just want to make sure I have provided enough detail.

The company I work for have 3 operations.

1) Non-hazardous pigment production

2) Hazardous Solvent based gelcoat manufacture 

3) Addition of non hazardous pigment into hazardous solvent based gelcoat.

Currently the operatives who work on operations two and three wear disposable overalls type 5&6 conforming to EN13982 and EN13034. They wear the same suits but the probability of getting chemicales on you suit is far more likley in operation two as they are manufactuiring the product. Operation three only involves taking the lid off a keg or drum adding non hazardous pigment and thein either placing the drum under a mixer with a lid or putting a lid back on a keg for mixing on the gyroscopic mixer.  The operatives who work with non hazardous pigments just wear boiler suits.

Operations one and three occur in the same unit and operation two is in the unit next door. The MD would like everyone in the Unit where operations one and three take place to wear the same suits to prevent any ambiguity. If everone was to wear the disposable suits then this would create more expense for the company, the other option is to change operations one and three's disposable suit to a catagory 1 suit reusable suit "intended for minimal risk" but the MD isnt convinced that is suitable because he thinks if you are working with gelcoat then a type 5&6 suit must be worn even though operations two and three and completley different.

Basically I am asking is it a fair assessment to make that operations two and three do not need the same level of protection because one is manufacturing the gelcoat and is higher risk, the other is just topping up gelcoat containers with pigment and in normal operation gelcoat shouldnt get on them?

Also this is just all in theory I am going to do a couple of trials with the proposed suits to see if they work well. I just dont want to get to this point if the theory isnt correct.

Thank you,

In the spirit of keep it simple why can't the mixing occur where the solvent is produced?

The solvent is your hazard which you are providing PPE (rather than work wear) for.

Removing lids, pouring materials and attaching mixers may present fewer opportunities for chemical spill but it is still the same chemical you are guarding against.

Hi,

Thank you for your replies.

Roundtuit) The solvent based gelcoat is produced on a mezzanin floor with little space this unfortunatley isnt an option. Yes they are exposed to the same product but the people who manufacture the gelcoats are also exposed to various other chemicles (powders, low viscosity liquids, corrosives and the gelcoat under pressure from pumps) so I would argue the severity is lower and the probability is lower therefore surely you could justify a lower standard of protection. This is how we justify lab staff wearing labcoats because their risk of exposure is even lower. 

Chris) For now I do just want to concentrate on suits but thank you for raising this point and I will look into selection of glove at another time. Is there any infomation I can look at to help me when I do look into this?

The production is on a mezzanine floor because the product is mixed in 4x3 ton mixing vessles suspended by the mezzanine.

Spills are prevented and controlled by the use of sump pallets for the additives and the vessles are filled by operatives who have a cut off switch, there is an overfill alarm, the formulation will only allow for the creation of 2.5 tons of product so normal operation will not overflow the vessles, spill kits are provided in the even on the spillage, the area below the mezzanine is bunded to capture any spillage and flow meters let the operative know how much product they are putting in.

If this is a single building with all three operations occurring the protection should be the same for everyone - not to the lowest but the highest common denominator.

If a line splits or seal fails the leak isn't going to select which employee it hits based upon what their duties are it will be whoever is in the firing line.

process 2 is in a seperate building everyone in that unit will carry on using the catagory 5&6 disposable suits. 

Processes 1 and 3 will be in the same building and they will be wearing the same suits. It just depends if process 3 is classed as a "Minimal hazard" then a catagory 1 suit can be worn. 

Surely the whole point of a risk assessment is not just to assess the potential for harm to come to someone due what they are actually doing. For me that is actuality. The risk is that something that is not normal occurs that causes damage to health. This requires more than just considering what happens as routine, but what 'could happen' and the potential consequences.

I totally agree with Chris and Chris.  You should always consider worst case scenario within the confines of the work and protect to that level if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

H&S is as much about employee buy-in as it is about compliance with the law.  If you get employee buy-in then the compliance is that much easier.  If we are only talking about 2 employees at any one time and you have 100% backing to get the higher grade suits then to me it's a no brainer, just do it.

The solution is easy, the MD has stated that he would like everyone to wear the same protective clothing.  You have mooted an option with him that he is not comfortable with.  You have now come on here to ask if your assessment is fair and the people on here have voiced concerns similar to those of your MD.

At the end of the day, your MD is legally responsible for the health, safety and welfare of those employees.  If he has come up with a solution that he is happy to pay for, then you should implement it.