Product category:
Building Industry Health and Safety
News Release from: 3M | Subject: Posters in Polish
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 August 2007
3M close language gap on construction
site safety
3M launch range of posters in Polish, highlighting risks migrant construction workers are potentially posing to their health by failing to deploy appropriate hearing and respiratory protection.
To mark the launch of the poster campaign, 3M is offering a FREE set of posters to the first 50 entrants to register on their site According to government figures, some 600,000 migrant workers from Eastern Europe have come to work in the UK since 2004
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 25 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Many of them are working within the construction industry and Polish workers are by far the largest national group accounting for over 60% of the total.
Sadly, due to language and cultural barriers, this group is potentially most at risk of injury or death on construction sites, simply by being unaware of the workplace hazards posed to them, coupled with a lack of familiarity of the enforced use of PPE on British sites.
In the Capital alone, preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games, the development of London's transport system and Government initiatives such as the Thames Gateway Project are all likely to increase the level of construction undertaken, creating yet greater demand for migrant workers.
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As Vikki Nash, Product Manager from 3M's Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division explains "Site Managers have a legal duty to protect the health and safety of their workers, and when applicable, equip them with appropriate PPE.
Even if they've told the migrant workers of the dangers and demonstrated the available PPE, it can be difficult to check their actual understanding".
"It is especially problematic when employers are trying to carry out inductions for large groups of migrant workers".
"Sometimes one of the workers with seemingly better English might be nominated to translate and communicate the message on to their colleagues, again, this leaves some margin for misinterpretation or 'watering down' of the message".
"We are hoping these posters will go a long way to effectively driving home the message that failing to use adequate PPE can lead to long term difficulties in hearing and breathing".
3M's initiative also echoes that of the Federation of Master Builders which has worked with the Health and Safety Executive to translate its leaflets into Polish and has supported the establishment of a construction training centre in Warsaw to provide Polish workers with the appropriate skills and safety awareness they need before coming to the UK.
Vikki Nash added "The use of the images and clear wording in our posters can leave no doubt as to what's been said as well as being a constant visual reminder around the workplace".
"In fact, they may serve as a useful reminder to anybody to look after their ears and lungs, regardless of their native language".
3M has developed a range of products directly reflecting the health and safety needs of the construction industry, including robust hearing protection products such as ear plugs and ear defenders.
Respiratory protection includes maintenance free particulate respirators and powered-air and supplied-air respirators.
All products are well respected for their ease of use, comfort and longevity, as well as compliance with the requirements of European product standards.
To identify suitable products for each environment or activity, the 3M website features hearing and respirator selection tools.
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