While COVID-19 infections across the globe increase, organisations have stated that the chemical industry will not be affected by the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the demand for PPE has increased 100-fold since the outbreak began.
Around the world, manufacturers, such as DuPont de Nemours, Eastman Chemical and Huntsman Corporation and many other companies have stepped up production by around 40 per cent to meet the demand for PPE, in particular masks, respirators, gloves, gowns and face shields, reports Chemical Watch.
However, fears that the fight to supply frontline health workers would have a knock-on effect on the ability to supply the PPE equipment necessary for the chemical sector for protecting their workers have been played down.
The Chemical Business Association (CBA) in the UK have confirmed that companies “are not expecting an issue”, which the European Trade Union Institute (Etui) has backed up, stating that there is “no evidence that companies outside of healthcare are struggling to retain their PPE.”
The reasons for this are because the PPE used to prevent chemical exposure differs from that used to prevent biological risks. “Chemical resistant suits, PVC-coated chemical resistant gloves, carbon filter masks to protect the respiratory system from chemical exposure, they are not comparable with what the health services are using,” said CBA chief executive, Peter Newport.
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (Osha) has stated that some of the PPE used could be widely used in other sectors. Workplaces, where appropriate PPE is already part of chemical exposure prevention measures, may have stock, Osha said.
“It is important that appropriate measures are taken at workplaces and preferably this should be technical rather than personal protective measures. A shortage of PPE may drive implementation of better technical measures, too,” an Osha spokesperson said.
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