I'm motivated to write more about the Slipp-R and safetytoes in general because of the many comments we've been getting. It turns out the safetytoes blog is well thought of as a resource. We get many visitors to our website daily and they increase with each article I write. Quite a few magazines and newsletters publish my writings.
We've had workers use our articles to educate their safety professionals and alert them to the fabulous cost savings. So many times we've shipped a pair to an employee only to see the employer come back with a large order.
We have a monitoring device on our website that identifies each visitor and which pages they look at. As an indication of the impact of the blogs, almost every day we get a visit from one of our competitors. This doesn't surprise me. I sold safetytoes for 6 years and the manufacturer had very little understanding of the many issues and opportunities I bring to your attention here.
Our competitors come here to get an education, and that's a good thing. They get educated on the many features,advantages and benefits of the Slipp-R. And that's what this blog is all about.
So, I say to all our new friends, and some old ones,
"Protect Your Piggies!"
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Safetytoes International at another NSC Exhibition.
Yes, I do look pretty chuffed. The pic was taken on the booth at the NSC in Orlando. It's been a great show with a significant break-through for SAFETYTOE OVERSHOES. This is one of two safety community gatherings of this size in the world - the other is in Germany, which only takes place every second year. Safetytoes International has done more than any other safety company to bring SAFETYTOE OVERSHOES to prominence in the safety industry. It has paid-off!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
WSIB Ontario
I'm working hard to raise awareness for rubber safety overshoes. Working harder than any other in the rubber safety overshoe business in fact. Well, I have to report that my work with various institutional bodies is starting to pay off.
Rubber and steel toe caps have been coupled before. That wasn't the problem. The problem was in the design. No matter how you glue something together if it isn't up to the job it's not going anywhere fast. On top of that, if you start monkeying with the materials to make the product cheaper, you'll only ever have a "cheap product". That's why we designed the 'Slipp-R' using rubber and not a cheap plastic.
Turns out the excellent steel toe cap and the rubber material we use to make the 'Slipp-R' has impressed the Workers Compensation Board of Ontario (aka WSIB). As of today, the WSIB are the proud owners of our products. They just sent me a lovely email of congratulations.
It's not easy raising awareness for a lowly piece of PPE but hard work and confidence seems to be paying off. Next stop the NSC in Orlando where the 'Slipp-R' will be prominently displayed once again.
Rubber and steel toe caps have been coupled before. That wasn't the problem. The problem was in the design. No matter how you glue something together if it isn't up to the job it's not going anywhere fast. On top of that, if you start monkeying with the materials to make the product cheaper, you'll only ever have a "cheap product". That's why we designed the 'Slipp-R' using rubber and not a cheap plastic.
Turns out the excellent steel toe cap and the rubber material we use to make the 'Slipp-R' has impressed the Workers Compensation Board of Ontario (aka WSIB). As of today, the WSIB are the proud owners of our products. They just sent me a lovely email of congratulations.
It's not easy raising awareness for a lowly piece of PPE but hard work and confidence seems to be paying off. Next stop the NSC in Orlando where the 'Slipp-R' will be prominently displayed once again.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
NSC Orlando
Mister Safetytoes will be at the NSC in Orlando starting October 25th. http://congress.nsc.org/nsc2009/public/enter.aspx?home=1
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
PPE & the Value Proposition
There's a theory that says the Harley-Davidson culture probably does more to ease the world's problems than most. It refers to how disposable products can increase your carbon footprint.
All man-made products consume energy to bring them to a usable state. Today, consumers and decision-makers must consider the embodied energy in disposable products if that energy is to be better utilized. Embodied energy is that amount that was expended and still resides within a useful product. Viewing it as conservable is an enlightened approach. Buying PPE based on decisions made for purely economic or marketing reasons can result in shortened useful life cycles. That means more processing and shipping required to "fuel" that demand, hence, a bigger carbon footprint.
Goods that are made and intended to be more beautiful, or to be kept longer, result in less energy expended. There is a strong resemblance in this theory to the old adage, "make do and mend". This was the cultural mainstay during the war years in the UK and Europe. The cost of producing consumer goods took valuable resources away from the war effort. Energy and materials were at an exorbitant premium. Those challenging days are still known for prized design and a long-lasting quality. Maybe you've noticed the number of 50 year old sewing machines still in operation?
Some would say those days are upon us again. Buyers of PPE are faced with choices on a regular basis. Those choices are now more compelling than ever, given the body of evidence in favour of enlightenment for health and the environment. Some decisions are harder to make than others but nobody said it would be easy saving the world, one piece of used PPE at a time. Nowhere is this more crucial than how buyers of PPE deal with the issue of PVC. The health hazards associated with PVC are long-known facts. PVC is the most dangerous material ever manufactured. Likewise, the benefits of PVC gloves in the medical/surgical fields are equally well known.
Environmentally aware buyers of PPE are challenged to see through the slick promotional stuff and consider the environment and personal health. Disposable PVC gloves are not dangerous in themselves. If wearing a pair of them was not a good idea the medical profession would soon put a stop to them. What is dangerous though are the millions and millions of them disposed of in landfills all over the country. PVC in garbage can lengthen the biodegradable breakdown period by hundreds of years. This is defeating the most vital process we have yet invented for dealing with the world's waste.
The Importance of Better Design
What must now be considered is how PPE can be made to last longer. Also, making a product more beautiful positively impacts how long the article will be considered desirable. A sense of ownership imbues a sense of husbandry. This all means that better design is becoming vitally important. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have long been considered both beautiful and well designed. The culture that blossomed around them saw grown men love, repair and polish their machines for decades. This is an excellent example of energy conservation and world husbandry.
The various qualities of PVC medical/surgical gloves are not known to me as it's not my area of "expertise". But, I know safety footwear is a good example of how wise decisions can have a positive effect on our health and that of generations to follow. Safety footwear has on average a 6 month useful life span. It’s fair to say that replacing defective safety footwear that frequently is an expensive cost. Footwear products made of PVC are often mistakenly viewed as cost-effective. Evidence of this is seen in the many cheap imports from Mexico and China, for example.
Cheap PVC material cannot withstand the roughness of an industrial workplace. It is not suited either to the North American climate with our extremes of hot and cold climates. Stress points, cracking and splitting all render PVC-made safety footwear useless in an even shorter time. It's reasonable to assume then that PVC safety footwear is unlikely to result in a longer life span. It's quite possible too that workers wearing shiny plastic safety footwear would not have much pride of ownership.
The "embodied energy" theory then would endorse a purchase of safety footwear that lasts longer and is considered more beautiful. Within the safety footwear business there are such products. Ones that are more robust than PVC, that make the wearer feel good and improve comfort. Buyers of PPE, in a sincere way, need only examine why they buy a particular item to find reasons why other products might be a more enlightened decision.
All man-made products consume energy to bring them to a usable state. Today, consumers and decision-makers must consider the embodied energy in disposable products if that energy is to be better utilized. Embodied energy is that amount that was expended and still resides within a useful product. Viewing it as conservable is an enlightened approach. Buying PPE based on decisions made for purely economic or marketing reasons can result in shortened useful life cycles. That means more processing and shipping required to "fuel" that demand, hence, a bigger carbon footprint.
Goods that are made and intended to be more beautiful, or to be kept longer, result in less energy expended. There is a strong resemblance in this theory to the old adage, "make do and mend". This was the cultural mainstay during the war years in the UK and Europe. The cost of producing consumer goods took valuable resources away from the war effort. Energy and materials were at an exorbitant premium. Those challenging days are still known for prized design and a long-lasting quality. Maybe you've noticed the number of 50 year old sewing machines still in operation?
Some would say those days are upon us again. Buyers of PPE are faced with choices on a regular basis. Those choices are now more compelling than ever, given the body of evidence in favour of enlightenment for health and the environment. Some decisions are harder to make than others but nobody said it would be easy saving the world, one piece of used PPE at a time. Nowhere is this more crucial than how buyers of PPE deal with the issue of PVC. The health hazards associated with PVC are long-known facts. PVC is the most dangerous material ever manufactured. Likewise, the benefits of PVC gloves in the medical/surgical fields are equally well known.
Environmentally aware buyers of PPE are challenged to see through the slick promotional stuff and consider the environment and personal health. Disposable PVC gloves are not dangerous in themselves. If wearing a pair of them was not a good idea the medical profession would soon put a stop to them. What is dangerous though are the millions and millions of them disposed of in landfills all over the country. PVC in garbage can lengthen the biodegradable breakdown period by hundreds of years. This is defeating the most vital process we have yet invented for dealing with the world's waste.
The Importance of Better Design
What must now be considered is how PPE can be made to last longer. Also, making a product more beautiful positively impacts how long the article will be considered desirable. A sense of ownership imbues a sense of husbandry. This all means that better design is becoming vitally important. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have long been considered both beautiful and well designed. The culture that blossomed around them saw grown men love, repair and polish their machines for decades. This is an excellent example of energy conservation and world husbandry.
The various qualities of PVC medical/surgical gloves are not known to me as it's not my area of "expertise". But, I know safety footwear is a good example of how wise decisions can have a positive effect on our health and that of generations to follow. Safety footwear has on average a 6 month useful life span. It’s fair to say that replacing defective safety footwear that frequently is an expensive cost. Footwear products made of PVC are often mistakenly viewed as cost-effective. Evidence of this is seen in the many cheap imports from Mexico and China, for example.
Cheap PVC material cannot withstand the roughness of an industrial workplace. It is not suited either to the North American climate with our extremes of hot and cold climates. Stress points, cracking and splitting all render PVC-made safety footwear useless in an even shorter time. It's reasonable to assume then that PVC safety footwear is unlikely to result in a longer life span. It's quite possible too that workers wearing shiny plastic safety footwear would not have much pride of ownership.
The "embodied energy" theory then would endorse a purchase of safety footwear that lasts longer and is considered more beautiful. Within the safety footwear business there are such products. Ones that are more robust than PVC, that make the wearer feel good and improve comfort. Buyers of PPE, in a sincere way, need only examine why they buy a particular item to find reasons why other products might be a more enlightened decision.
Friday, September 18, 2009
A case of mistaken identity
A (new) customer called me yesterday about a quality issue with his safetytoes.
I listened as he explained that he had bought them only a short time ago (6 months approx) but already they had been rendered useless. He explained that even though he only wore them occasionally they had 'de-toed' under the steel toecap. I volunteered that this had never happened with any of our 'Slipp-R's and asked a few more questions.
His answer tipped me off to the fact that he was not talking about the 'Slipp-R at all but one of the old-style versions. He said the problem arose because he had to pull on the overshoe by pulling from the rear. The overshoe had been showing signs of wear from the pressure of the steel toecap on the concrete surfaces he walks on. This is a problem with these old style overshoes. They are essentially two articles (a thin overshoe and a steel toecap) glued together and that always brings issues. The overshoe is not designed to accommodate a steel toecap. And, the steel toecap is not designed to fit into an overshoe intended only to keep your shoes dry.
Apparently, each time he put on the safetytoes the pulling action exacerbated the deterioration under the steel toecap. I explained to the fellow that we have not sold that old style of overshoe for many years and that he should return it to wherever he purchased it.
Naturally, I took the opportunity to say that the 'Slipp-R' was made from 100% rubber that was on average over 5mm thick. Test results indicate that the resistance to abrasion (his problem) was excellent. Results also prove that the resistance to nicks and cut-growth was just as we had planned. The 'Slipp-R' can resist nicks or small cuts so that they do not "grow" worse with each wearing. The 100% rubber material does its job very well.
Also, the unique design allowed for stepping into the overshoe with only one hand (his other problem) eliminating any excessive stress points. I further indicated that since the 'Slipp-R' was designed as a whole, one-piece article of PPE there was no conflict between the steel toecap and the rubber material under it. Our 'Slipp-R' rubber overshoe was designed in Italy by experts in the footwear industry specially to overcome the many problems we had with the old style overshoes.
I forgot to ask which version of the old style he had purchased. However, I know there are at least 3 versions of it. Each version (one even refers to being the "original") is the same design and construction.
ps - the fellow called me back to say that the company (who I don't wish to identify as I'm sure their quality issues are mounting) advised him to not bother sending the product back as they were well aware of the 'decapitation' problem - they even have a name for it!
We've come a long way with technology in PPE but apparently the old guys are still plugging away - up to their hairy knuckles in glue no doubt!
I listened as he explained that he had bought them only a short time ago (6 months approx) but already they had been rendered useless. He explained that even though he only wore them occasionally they had 'de-toed' under the steel toecap. I volunteered that this had never happened with any of our 'Slipp-R's and asked a few more questions.
His answer tipped me off to the fact that he was not talking about the 'Slipp-R at all but one of the old-style versions. He said the problem arose because he had to pull on the overshoe by pulling from the rear. The overshoe had been showing signs of wear from the pressure of the steel toecap on the concrete surfaces he walks on. This is a problem with these old style overshoes. They are essentially two articles (a thin overshoe and a steel toecap) glued together and that always brings issues. The overshoe is not designed to accommodate a steel toecap. And, the steel toecap is not designed to fit into an overshoe intended only to keep your shoes dry.
Apparently, each time he put on the safetytoes the pulling action exacerbated the deterioration under the steel toecap. I explained to the fellow that we have not sold that old style of overshoe for many years and that he should return it to wherever he purchased it.
Naturally, I took the opportunity to say that the 'Slipp-R' was made from 100% rubber that was on average over 5mm thick. Test results indicate that the resistance to abrasion (his problem) was excellent. Results also prove that the resistance to nicks and cut-growth was just as we had planned. The 'Slipp-R' can resist nicks or small cuts so that they do not "grow" worse with each wearing. The 100% rubber material does its job very well.
Also, the unique design allowed for stepping into the overshoe with only one hand (his other problem) eliminating any excessive stress points. I further indicated that since the 'Slipp-R' was designed as a whole, one-piece article of PPE there was no conflict between the steel toecap and the rubber material under it. Our 'Slipp-R' rubber overshoe was designed in Italy by experts in the footwear industry specially to overcome the many problems we had with the old style overshoes.
I forgot to ask which version of the old style he had purchased. However, I know there are at least 3 versions of it. Each version (one even refers to being the "original") is the same design and construction.
ps - the fellow called me back to say that the company (who I don't wish to identify as I'm sure their quality issues are mounting) advised him to not bother sending the product back as they were well aware of the 'decapitation' problem - they even have a name for it!
We've come a long way with technology in PPE but apparently the old guys are still plugging away - up to their hairy knuckles in glue no doubt!
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