The PPE Paradox

Abstract

Why is it that something regarded as the least effective of all measures in managing safety is considered so important both from the policy and industry perspective?

In many high-risk industries (maritime, oil and gas being no exception), the desire to eliminate the risks associated with new technologies is far from practicable. This is eloquently captured in a quote by Henry Petroski, an internationally acclaimed American academic, specialising in history and civil engineering. According to Petroski, ‘Many new technologies come with a promise to change the world, but the world refuses to cooperate’. Here, Petroski is referring to the designed-in protection offered by new technology that time and again proves insuf­ficient in the work environment, due to unpredictable operating conditions, resource constraints, or the conflicting goals of safety and efficiency in getting the work done. It is the gap between the protection offered by the design and the reality of operating conditions that necessitates the use of PPE.