Having the right personal protective equipment when working in hazardous environments is absolutely essential for protecting the health and safety of employees in many different industries. In addition to wearing and using the right equipment, it is also very important that the users are fully trained in how to operate it effectively.
In the case of breathing apparatus, correct use of equipment can make the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, lives are still lost every year throughout the world because masks did not fit correctly or because equipment was used incorrectly. The only way to combat this risk is to provide adequate training to avoid serious incidents such as these.
In the UK - as in many countries around the world - there is legislation governing the types of equipment that must be worn in certain scenarios and the training that users of the equipment must receive. Due to this, the content of breathing apparatus training courses will change depending on the location where the training takes place.
If you are looking for breathing apparatus training in the UK, there are typically several components that you can expect to be covered in order to comply with legislation and best practices. In fact, UK legislation is a crucial component of any course syllabus that deals with the use of breathing equipment.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSSH) Regulations 2002 is an example of UK legislation that is introduced to course participants, as this affects workers in a range of industries. Training in COSSH is industry-specific in many cases, with various applications in sectors such as construction, vehicle repair, metalworking, marine,offshore, manufacturing and many more.
Studying legislation will give all users of breathing equipment a clear idea of what is expected of them, what their rights are, what is required of their employer and why all of these measures have been put in place. This means that equipment users have more awareness of whether legislation is being respected or not within their working environment.
In addition to legislation, another common component of these types of course is theory and knowledge pertaining to the physiology of respiration, as this will provide course participants with the information they need to understand why and how they may be at risk in certain hazardous environments.
After this, most courses will go on to cover the checks that need to be made before wearing the apparatus in question. These checks are essential to make sure that the apparatus is functioning correctly and that no risks are being posed to the health and safety of the workers.
This is normally followed by teaching course participants how to don their equipment correctly. Although this sounds like a simple procedure, it is an absolutely crucial one to learn when entering dangerous environments and relying on apparatus to protect employees from life-threatening conditions.
Breathing equipment which is donned correctly will provide maximum protection, whereas equipment which is not positioned correctly on the face can lead to potentially fatal scenarios. The steps that must be taken whilst wearing the equipment are also generally covered in breathing apparatus training in the UK.
Other content that is typically covered during this kind of training programme is how to effectively remove the equipment and the steps that need to be taken after use. This will include cleaning the equipment and storing it effectively in order to maintain its integrity and efficiency.
Content that may also be covered in such a course includes how to deal with distress situations when wearing breathing apparatus, resuscitation, monitoring the duration that equipment can be worn for, doffing, communications and much more.
Many UK companies that offer this kind of training will tailor their programmes to the needs of their clients, customising content to suit certain work environment sand work specific scenarios. As a result, the content of the course and the practical exercises that participants undertake will all depend on what has been decided between the employer and the training company.
Breathe Safety is a UK-basedteam of experts dedicated to the provision of services relating to confined space training and the use of respiratory protective equipment and breathing apparatus. Breathe Safety provides total solutions in these areas including training programmes, face fit testing, consultancy and rescue services, and the hire, sale and servicing of equipment. Since the inception of the company, the Breathe Safety name has been synonymous with sustaining life in hazardous environments and providing a quality service to clients in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, turnaround and shutdown, petrochemical, mining and tunnelling, pharmaceutical, water, energy and marine industries. To find out more, please visit: http://www.breathesafety.com/
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