European Union Export Restrictions and 3M Product Availability Update re: 2019 Novel Coronavirus and COVID-19

Dear Valued Customer,

On March 15th, the European Union introduced export authorization requirements for exports of certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) outside of the European Union in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The regulation is (EU) 2020/402 and is initially effective for a six-week period but could be extended. This regulation will be enacted by each country’s customs authority which will establish a process for receiving export licenses from EU to other countries.

This new regulation will likely impact 3M’s ability to supply certain Personal Protective Equipment sourced from our manufacturing operations in the European Union to customers in non-European Union countries.

Differential Permeation. Applied to returning you home safely.

Science has the power to change the world, solve the toughest problems and shape the future. But science is just science, until you apply it to something. Make it do something, change something. No one knows this better than 3M. The average person uses 3M science many times a day and doesn’t even know it. But it is everywhere, supporting 46 separate technology platforms and continuously driving our innovations. No other company uses science like we do. That’s 3M Science. Applied to life.™

At 3M we have a select and high quality range of Coveralls, which provide protection against many hazards. The 3M range of Protective Apparel offers a variety of features, from the use of fabrics with specialist treatments for enhanced wear and added protection, to breathable back panels for increased comfort. Our experts can work closely with you, to help you identify hazards and best protect your workers against them.

Free yourself.

When you’re suspended after a fall, every second matters.

When the clock starts ticking, you need a rescue plan you can count on to rescue you quickly and efficiently. The DBI-SALA® Self-Rescue unit is your rescue plan: a flexible device that attaches to your current safety harness and allows you to lower yourself to safety in the event of a fall from height. This simple, fast and effective rescue plan minimizes risk for you, your coworkers and emergency response personnel. With DBI-SALA Self-Rescue, you can work at height without worrying about hanging in your harness for an extended period of time after an arrested fall event. Instead of wondering how long it will take to alert others to your fall, or how long before trained rescuers can gather the appropriate equipment to get you down, you can simply avoid all that and free yourself.

Watch our open day demonstration by 3M Australia Fall Protection.

In work sites of every variety, edges are much more common than people realize – and they may pose a greater risk than you’d expect. Whether you’re laying roofing, traversing a beam, or simply working near the unprotected sides of an upper floor, falls over an edge are more hazardous than other falls. Without protection designed for edges, traditional lifelines risk being severed and the force upon the worker in the event of a fall is significantly increased. Honeywell estimates that as many as 80% of fall-protection users have applications in which a lifeline will come in contact with an edge in the event of a fall.

Bushfires are part of life in Australia. These fires can produce vast amounts of smoke, off-gases and ash and there is a need to consider the most appropriate ways of providing respiratory protection for those exposed to these contaminants.

Fire decomposes or breaks down materials. The composition of these breakdown products will vary depending on:

• The composition of the burning materials - this can be from many sources
• The ventilation conditions - poor ventilation reduces the available oxygen and changes the makeup of the decomposition products.
• The temperature of the fire.
• Burning produces particles as well as gases and vapours. The gases can often include irritant gases like hydrogen chloride and acrolein.

Smoke is defined in AS/NZS1715:1994 as "particles of low vapour pressure suspended in the air. Smoke is made from the solid and liquid products of combustion. Smoke particles settle slowly under gravity. Normally, the combustion process that produces smoke also produces gases".

Is the CE marking mandatory? In Europe, all products covered by a European regulatory text (a regulation or directive) must bear the CE (European Conformity) marking. For personal protective equipment, EU regulation 2016/425 (formerly the 89/686/EC directive) regulates the manufacture and marketing of fall protection PPE.

Compliance with a standard is mandatory if stated as such in the work health and safety legislation. Neither AS/NZS 1891.4 nor AS/NZS 5532 are mandatory standards in the legislation.

However, the falls code does include references to the AS/NZS 1891 series and ‘relevant Australian/New Zealand Standards’.

A common cause of workplace injury in the construction industry is falls from heights. Whilst the number of injuries has decreased substantially over the past decade due to better education, legislative compliance and an increased use of handrails and work platforms - there are still injuries caused by falls from elevated work positions. Regardless of the height, most of these incidents can be avoided by using the right gear, the right way.

Woman in hospital after partner dies in horror Queensland zipline fall

Worksafe has flagged it intends to prosecute two different construction companies after a teenage worker was killed on site two years ago.