The importance of PPE cannot be stressed enough.
Now a video contrasting the reliability of helmets worn by supervisors and underlings has sparked concerns over the safety of Chinese workers. In China, occupational health and occupational safety, from the perspective of legislation and supervision, are separated. Lack of harmonized legislation and unified supervision results in the conflict of regulatory departments’ function and poor coordination. All of this must be tackled to improve the conditions for employees.
The video posted by a construction worker surnamed Dou called attention to the risks many Chinese workers take every day. In one video, Dou uses a red helmet worn by managers to hit as yellow helmet worn by ordinary workers. The yellow helmet breaks into pieces. It shocks viewers to know how the management on site must be more valued than their staff members if they are provided with significantly better equipment.
In another video, Dou drops a brick on both helmets and predictably the yellow safety helmet is crushed, while the red one remains undamaged, even after several drops. Helmets safety standard requires they can survive the impact of a falling brick. Once again, the audience roots for the underdog.
Zhang Pei, a Beijing-based on-site engineer, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the integrity of all safety helmets should be equal and guaranteed.
Dou’s videos have been viewed 100 million times. This goes to show the importance of high-quality personal protective equipment.
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has urged enterprises to ensure safety helmets conform to national standards. Since 2005, China has made several adjustments and reform for improving its occupational health and safety regulatory system.
Original article: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1146326.shtml
Read more at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4466881/
