How are you guys monitoring RPE usage? we have about 75 technicians all with fitted face masks.  They currently fill in an online google doc form that comes to me on email and I record the hours in a spreadsheet, however I'm not starting to struggle due to the number of them, some do it, some dont.

Ideally a system that badgers them daily till they have done that weeks report would be good, but im interested in what you do.

we currently need to record their weekly hours, and then a record of when new filters are provided.

I dont follow you, the techs know why they have to fill them in and its drilled into them, unfortunately some decide they're above the HSE..  Im looking for suggestions on what others use that may make it easier for me and the techs

its the reporting and monitoring side i'm after advice on, the actual enforcing is being handled.  it takes 10 secs to fill in the online form to report their weekly usage, i have to collate 75 of these and chase up those that consistantly dont report.  Im just looking at what others do to report and monitor RPE times for inspiration of other solutions that might make it more automated.

When they get to 40hrs, then fresh filters are dispatched to them, to their home address, but all of this takes up a huge amount of my time. 

Each set sent then gets an adobe fill and sign document sent to prove they have been issued, this then isnt completed by all.

its compliance, but is wasting so much time, as we're in construction, their opinion on trivial matters like this isnt vast, they simply want to finish at 4 and thats it for the day.

I've not stated that.  We have to do it to keep suitable records of RPE usage, to show we are providing suitable RPE filters when required, we record on the form that the mask is safe to use and undamaged, and there are face fit related questions in there too.

If we do not record this information, then we are not being a responsible employer to the employees and we are not conforming with our legally required monitoring.

Any company that provides RPE, deals with vapours, dust or fumes should also be doing this.  This may be the easiest option for us to implement on a budget, however I'm trying to find out how others carry out the process.  Simply waiting for the techs to order new filters is not good enough and leave us open to the HSE for a start.

Must admit I do wonder about an "hours" based systems for remote RPE issue as these by default are working on assumptions:

1) The work is conducted in an identical manner on every occassion

2) The level of contamination is identical on every occassion

3) The work environment and weather are identical on every occassion

4) That the equipment is fully maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions

Once a month I make a submission about the company vehicle I drive - the tick box gets checked - all that really proves is that someone marked the box, it is not proof any of the listed checks were actually conducted.

Same thing with the "inspection" charts on the back of lavatory doors which merely indicate someone made a mark - unless independently witnessed the chart cannot even testify to the actual date and time of the mark.

The one thing about the current pandemic is we have finally moved away from the squiggle on a data pad as "proof" of delivery to real photographic evidence of the package physically sat in an open doorway.

Perhaps that is your answer - send a filter by courier each month and file the proof photos. Meantime have their line manager insoect equipment as part of their rounds.

we have 75 techs with 2 varients of mask and filters.  Worse case scenario of booth spraying is 40hrs of usage before they need replacing.  Some techs no masking up on jobs so isnt using it for a day, a week or weeks, I have no idea.  Some techs are spraying in an enclosed space, therefore 40hrs is max.  (1 working week)

Its not financially viable or makes any sense to just send out filters a set intervals, thats not monitoring, thats a postal service.  If some techs do not use it for x hours per month, then i have to chase it as they may be carrying out tasks that would demand the usage, but they're not.  Then there are those that just fill in 20, 30, 40 per week because its easy to make up a number.  if i see a string of high weeks, then i investigate as to why and are we reducing the risks as much as we can by using air scrubbing etc.

Filter monitoring is much more than just sending out filters because....