We all know how important it is to wear the appropriate PPE while working at our Cemex sites, but this story reminds us how equally important it is to wear your PPE while undertaking DIY and risky activities at home.

Thank you to Mark Kelly, UK Planning & Permitting Manager, who has shared his personal story in the hope that it will be a useful reminder to us all:

“We are in the process of laying a driveway. It’s been a bigger project than anticipated with the paving stones each weighing in at 48kg. The easy ones have all been laid but we are having to cut the remaining awkward ones, using an angle grinder.

In this instance we were wearing PPE. My son had a mask, ear defenders, goggles and gloves on. We initially had a day cutting with no issues but when we started on the second day it was on the first cut that the incident occurred.

At tremendously high speed a small stone flew off and managed to find the gap between my son’s goggles and cheekbone. So, while PPE was being worn, the stone did not break the google visor, it simply went underneath the visor and hit him in the eye. The Optician told us he was very lucky not to have lost his eyesight in that eye.

Lessons I have learnt from this –

• Health and Safety doesn’t finish at work.
• PPE should be regularly checked so it is fit for purpose.
• Goggles should be fully secure with no pathways for splitters, stones or dust.
• Don’t assume that the PPE will always protect you. It is the minimum and accidents can still happen.”

Thanks to Mark for sharing his story and well done to him and his son for considered the hazards and risks, and wearing, what they thought, was sufficient PPE.

We would add that when using handheld grinders, our advice is to wear close fitting goggles, in addition to visors, as we have experienced several similar incidents on our sites over the years.