Latest news with #ProtectiveEquipment
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Nearly 4,000 Manual Scavengers In Delhi To Receive PPE Kits Ahead Of Monsoon
New Delhi: For the first time, nearly 4,000 manual scavengers in Delhi will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits ahead of the monsoon season. The kits will include 42 safety items such as helmets with lights, gas protection masks, gumboots, protective clothing, gloves, and barrier creams designed to protect against hazardous gases and skin irritants. The initiative is part of the Centre's 'Namaste' (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme launched in 2023-24 to ensure secure working conditions, financial assistance, and social security benefits for sanitation workers, especially those engaged in cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Delhi Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh told PTI that around 4,000 scavengers will get PPE kits before the rains begin. He also directed officials to ensure that all manual scavengers are enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. In addition, departments have been instructed to expedite training and rehabilitation efforts for those involved in manual sewer cleaning and to establish adequate Emergency Response Sanitation Units, Indraj Singh said. All district magistrates have been ordered to resolve pending compensation cases related to sewer and septic tank deaths in a time-bound manner, he added. "The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon," the minister said. Social activist Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, said while PPE kits can help reduce health risks, they do not fully eliminate the dangers faced by manual scavengers. "This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers," said Wilson. Wilson also pointed out that the initiative raises concerns under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which officially banned manual scavenging in India. "Instead of sending humans into toxic manholes, the government should focus on introducing machines to clean them," he added. Wilson also shared data on the deaths of manual scavengers, stating that around 102 died in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 have died in 2025 so far. In Delhi alone, four workers have died this year, he said.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
In a first, Delhi's manual scavengers to receive PPE kits ahead of monsoon season
New Delhi, For the first time, nearly 4,000 manual scavengers in Delhi will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment kits ahead of the monsoon season. The kits will include 42 safety items such as helmets with lights, gas protection masks, gumboots, protective clothing, gloves, and barrier creams designed to protect against hazardous gases and skin irritants. The initiative is part of the Centre's 'Namaste' scheme launched in 2023-24 to ensure secure working conditions, financial assistance, and social security benefits for sanitation workers, especially those engaged in cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Delhi Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh told PTI that around 4,000 scavengers will get PPE kits before the rains begin. He also directed officials to ensure that all manual scavengers are enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. In addition, departments have been instructed to expedite training and rehabilitation efforts for those involved in manual sewer cleaning and to establish adequate Emergency Response Sanitation Units, Singh said. All district magistrates have been ordered to resolve pending compensation cases related to sewer and septic tank deaths in a time-bound manner, he added. "The safety of every sanitation worker is our priority. They must have access to PPE kits and health insurance before the monsoon," the minister said. Social activist Bezwada Wilson, founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, said while PPE kits can help reduce health risks, they do not fully eliminate the dangers faced by manual scavengers. "This step is welcome, but it still does not prevent the deaths of manual scavengers," said Wilson. Wilson also pointed out that the initiative raises concerns under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which officially banned manual scavenging in India. "Instead of sending humans into toxic manholes, the government should focus on introducing machines to clean them," he added. Wilson also shared data on the deaths of manual scavengers, stating that around 102 died in 2023, 116 in 2024, and 30 have died in 2025 so far. In Delhi alone, four workers have died this year, he said.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ansell Expands Portfolio to Include Kimtech, KleenGuard and RightCycle Brands in North America and Europe
MELBOURNE, Australia, March 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN), a global leader in protection solutions, announced today that its sales organisation will begin accepting Kimtech™ and KleenGuard™ orders and managing customer inquiries across North America and Europe. This marks the first significant commercial milestone following the strategic acquisition of Kimberly-Clark's Personal Protective Equipment (KCPPE) business last year and strengthens Ansell's position as a global leader in safety solutions. With the addition of Kimtech and KleenGuard to Ansell's market-leading portfolio of brands, Ansell offers an even broader range safety solutions to customers operating in laboratories, cleanrooms, and industrial manufacturing environments. As part of the North American and European portfolio expansion, Ansell also introduces two new capabilities: The RightCycle™ Program, a sustainable solution for the disposal of non-hazardous personal protective equipment (PPE) waste, and APEX™, a best-in-class approach to cleanroom customer change management and contamination control. Neil Salmon, CEO of Ansell, stated: "Ansell's strategic acquisition of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's Personal Protective Equipment (KCPPE) business last year not only enhanced the breadth of our portfolio to include best-in-class brands like Kimtech™, KleenGuard, and RightCycle, it also strengthened our ability to advise customers as they navigate an increasingly complex market landscape. With even more expertise in areas like materials science innovation, PPE supply chains and international safety regulations, Ansell is better positioned than ever to help customers achieve their safety goals." The next milestone in the transition of this business will come in June 2025, when Ansell Latin America and Asia Pacific sales teams begin accepting orders for Kimtech and KleenGuard products. About Ansell Ansell (ASX: ANN) is a global leader in safety solutions and an integrated manufacturer of personal protection equipment for healthcare and industrial workplaces. Each day, over 10 million workers in more than 100 countries trust their safety to Ansell brands such as HyFlex, Ringers, MICROFLEX, TouchNTuff, GAMMEX, Kimtech, KleenGuard, and AlphaTec. Driven by a vision to lead the world to a safer future, the company continuously pursues new product and service innovations that predict, prevent, and protect against workplace risk while promoting sustainable sourcing and manufacturing. Information on Ansell and its products can be found at #AnsellProtects Ansell, ® and TM are trademarks owned by Ansell Limited or one of its affiliates. US Patented and US and non-US Patents Pending: © 2025 Ansell Limited. All Rights Reserved. View source version on Contacts Ansell News Bureaunews@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Police may have been pandemic ‘super-spreaders' according to union
Police officers may have acted as 'super-spreaders' in the pandemic as expert advice was 'ignored' by the Scottish Government and the ex-chief constable of Police Scotland, an inquiry heard. Calum Steele, ex-general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), former chairman David Hamilton, and vice chairman Brian Jones, gave evidence at the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry on Monday and condemned decisions from the Scottish Government and ex-Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone. A Scottish Government decision not to prioritise frontline police during the vaccine rollout was branded 'perverse' and a 'betrayal', with one officer attending 75 callouts to different households in a single weekend, the inquiry heard. Allegations that Sir Iain rejected calls for frontline officers to be given spare vaccines, refused to issue reusable rubber masks used by officers in Northern Ireland due to appearance, and refused an alternative to roadside breath-testing despite concerns about Covid-19 transmission were aired at the inquiry. Giving evidence, union leaders said ex-Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf branded the SPF a 'disgrace', recalled they were a 'pain in the backside', and the conflict 'became personal', while evidence from a panel of experts commissioned by the SPF was met with 'suspicion' and 'ignored' by the government. Mr Steele told the inquiry Police Scotland 'substantially absolved itself of health and safety responsibility' regarding adequacy of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), despite an agreement before lockdown that FFP3 masks would be issued. He said the force 'refused' to log the rate of usage, and the risks were 'exacerbated' by using the same mask throughout a shift – while another trade unionist said a 'cost-effective' alternative was rejected due to appearance. Mr Steele said: 'The issue of FFP3 masks is probably the best example of the police service knowing it has a health and safety obligation and then ignoring it. We were largely dealing with people who were not complying with restrictions, people sceptical of the pandemic and therefore at greater risk. 'If a police officer attended an address that required them to wear an FFP3 mask, a risk assessment said it should be discarded. But the police service was not counting the masks that were being burned through.' He said officers were 'reusing the mask at other addresses, making physical contact with the mask with their fingertips, the risk was exacerbated', and that calls to log the burn rate were 'refused', the inquiry heard. Mr Steele added: 'One of my colleagues went to 75 different households in one weekend. We were worried about acting as super-spreaders and have evidence that happened.' Mr Jones said: 'There were other items that would have saved money. The Police Service of Northern Ireland bought a rubber mask which can be cleaned. That was thought to be militaristic. That was the decision of the chief constable at the time.' The use of FFP3 masks was 'constantly criticised' due to the needs of frontline medics, the inquiry heard. The SPF called for roadside breath tests to be replaced, and Mr Steele described the 'totally dismissive' response as 'institutional dishonesty', and said Police Scotland 'took 'absence of evidence' as 'absence of risk',' the inquiry heard. Mr Steele said: 'We had advice from experts there was a risk from aerosols. This was introducing risk. We suggested we should take a different approach, taking an assessment of if someone is under the influence and taking them back for analysis. 'The response from the police service was totally dismissive.' Mr Hamilton added: 'It showed the force in a quite ugly way. We always accepted we had a job to do but we could minimise the risks.' He said it was 'wholly inappropriate' that frontline officers were not given priority during the vaccine rollout, and alleged that Sir Iain refused to allow officers to use spare jabs, saying: 'It's bad optics,' the inquiry heard. Mr Hamilton added: 'Frontline officers tended to be the youngest and the last to get it. I would have given my vaccine to someone in their 20s. Those most at risk were last to get it. It was a Scottish Government choice not to vaccinate police officers they accepted were high risk.' Mr Steele said: 'That remains one of the most perverse decisions that really reinforced that they were casually disregarded. It had a really damaging impact on institutions of the state including their employer, the chief constable, to look after them.' The inquiry continues before Lord Brailsford in Edinburgh.
