PPE Manufacturers Welcome the Fatal Accidents Action Plan
The Spanish government recently presented its action plan for preventing fatal accidents at work. The Plan will be a significant step forward in reducing the number of accidents every year in Spain, says Verónica Hernández Parra, Secretary-General of ASEPAL. She also explains the causes of many of these accidents.
Verónica Hernández Parra believes that the Action Plan will be a significant step forward in reducing the number of fatal accidents in Spain every year. She adds that “the Association of Personal Protective Equipment Companies (ASEPAL) is firmly committed to collaborating in any way we can to achieve this.”
Hernández also points out that ASEPAL member companies firmly believe that properly selected and used PPE can be valuable in reducing the risk of accidents and occupational illnesses. “Failure to provide workers with the necessary PPE or providing equipment that’s unsuitable for working conditions caused 6.4% of fatal accidents between 2017 and 2019, according to figures from the Ministry of Labour & Social Economy. And 6.1% of fatal accidents were due to workers not using the PPE that companies provided.”
ASEPAL’s Secretary-General explains that selecting the type of PPE to protect workers effectively against workplace hazards can be a complex process. It requires a thorough knowledge of the regulations applicable to these products. “To make the job easier, ASEPAL and its member companies are always glad to help companies’ health and safety managers. We can provide them with the necessary assistance to ensure that workers have the right PPE to protect them against hazards that threaten their health, safety and well-being.”
Action Plan
The Government recently presented its Action Plan Against Fatal Accidents at Work with the slogan “Risking Your Life Is Not an Option.” The Plan is designed to combat the scourge of occupational accidents, the figures of which speak for themselves: of the 1,610,815 occupational accidents recorded between 2017 and 2019, 1,626 were fatal. As well as reducing fatalities, the Plan is also designed to reduce serious accidents.
The Action Plan aims to achieve the greatest possible impact on fatal work-related accidents, specifically reducing the number of accidents and the harm to workers’ health.
The Plan’s actions will focus on Agriculture & Fisheries (drowning, loss of control, falls and adverse weather conditions), Construction, Industry (machinery accidents) and Services (focusing on road transport).
The Plan identifies the main ways that accidents can occur in each sector.
The measures will be carried out in partnership with regional labour authorities. They include planning actions focusing on businesses with a high risk of occupational accidents, inspections, and initiatives to increase awareness. These actions will be carried out in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo).