by Natalie Edwards

What's that? Safety gear that will make workers MORE productive??? Is there really such a thing?

Yep! You heard right - respiratory protection that will see increased productivity in your workshop...

 

It's a positive pressure (powered air) welding helmet! And BONUS - they get the big tick from WorkSafe too! So what is this ingenious device?

Sure they're safe, and WorkSafe love them (see here), but what's the go with increased productivity? A quick search on Google and you'll find studies claiming 30% increases in productivity when a workshop converts from regular respirators to positive pressure - in particular, the auto-darkening variety.

Here's the top 5 ways positive pressure helmets can increase workshop productivity:

1. Comfort

Guess what?

Your workers  will weld for longer and be more productive if they're comfortable and happy!

Positive pressure helmets are light-weight, provide cool, clean air in a hot environment, and don't require a tight fit and clean shave like half or full-face respirators do - worker's love them!

2. Less Injuries

Less injuries mean better performance and less downtime or sick leave. Common issues with regular welding helmets are:

 

  • Metal Fume Fever - and other health issues by not using the right respirator protection - find out more here
  • Hot - increasing chances of dehydration and heat stroke.
  • Reduced vision - causing eye strain, and/or neck strain from repetitive nodding.
  • All day protection - helmets that are uncomfortable or don't have adequate viewing mean workers will want to take them on and off.  This is dangerous, exposing workers to all the contaminants in the air, flying particles and welding flash from other welders. 

 

Tecmen auto-darkening helmets with respirators are designed to be worn all day. This means they are lighter, cooler, and provide a good viewing area.

3. Employee acceptance

As mentioned above, welding helmets with powered air are the respiratory protective equipment (RPE) your workers will LOVE to wear - and this is the best protection you can supply them!

Acceptance of RPE makes the work day more efficient, with less fiddling, taking on and off, and general resistance to comply. It also makes your job as a boss a little easier not having to monitor your workers so closely.

Test drive a TECMEN positive pressure welding helmet in your workshop - your workers will love it, we promise!

4. Increased visibility and comfort

Giving your workers greater visibility and comfort increases your productivity in a number of ways:

 

  • Jobs get done faster - it's easy to see what they're doing, plus they don't need to take the helmet off for different jobs, or due to comfort which saves time!
  • Less re-work - better chance of getting it right the first time.
  • Safer - workers can wear the helmets all day in comfort. No need to take the helmet on and off, exposing themselves to workshop air contaminants.

 

Basically, there will be less stuffing around, and as an added benefit, you'll probably notice increased quality too.

5. Respiratory health

It's peace of mind knowing WorkSafe are happy and your cherished employees are safe from the dangers of welding fumes right? Providing the best possible respiratory protection will keep workers from short and long term health effects, which can affect their ability to perform, reduce the amount of sick leave required, and decrease staff turnover, all of which can be costly to productivity.

So what are you waiting for? Get a free trial of a TECMEN welding helmet in your workshop!