You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink

摘要

Every one of us likes to think of ourselves as unique individuals, following our own path, deciding our own fate. Throw into the mix preoccupation with image, fashion and peer pressure and it is no wonder why safety officers have such a difficult task in coercing employees to wear PPE. Individualisation of the safety process may be the solution to worker resistance to PPE. Open and effective communication, worker involvement and the use of educational tools, together with a range of products that not only perform in a given task but are comfortable to wear, and your workforce can help you achieve your safety goals and bottom line objectives. Approaching PPE from an individual perspective is a major part of the solution, listening to employees' needs rather than giving orders. No one likes being told what to do. Safety officers may often sound like school teachers, instead of ordering, "Socks up, shirt in", it is "Gloves on, ear plugs in", except you can't keep employees back after hours for detention unless you want to pay them overtime. The struggle over PPE may in fact be seen as a struggle for power.