Annually, thousands of Australian workers face hard injuries that could have been prevented, casting a shadow over their futures and the industries that drive our economy forward.

These injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to severe lacerations, leading to significant downtime, financial loss, and, in some cases, life-altering consequences. The solution, while complex, starts with a simple choice: selecting the right safety gloves.
In various environments and industries, from construction to manufacturing and beyond, the line between risk and safety is as thin as
the pair of gloves on workers hands, so choosing the right gloves is more than a compliance checkbox; it’s a crucial decision impacting worker safety and productivity.

For over three decades, G-Tek® has led the charge in hand protection innovation, a commitment born from the vision of Protective Industrial Products (PIP®). Evolving from simple cotton knits to today’s advanced seamless knit gloves.
With hands constantly exposed to hazards, some may point to the variety of options available in the market as evidence of saturation. However, G-Tek sets itself apart with a relentless drive for innovation, as it offers more than protection; it offers a promise of high performance, unmatched cut resistance, and commitment to each individual worker’s safety and productivity.

From the construction site to the mine site, and onto the manufacturing floor, G-Tek delivers a comprehensive glove range. This ensures that every worker, no matter their field or task, can find a G-Tek glove that perfectly suits their needs, whether it’s cut resistance, grip, or dexterity. This dedication reflects G-Tek’s commitment to addressing the unique requirements of each task, and potential risk.

The debate often circles back to whether gloves can provide robust protection without compromising on dexterity and comfort. G-Tek’s answer is a confident yes. Through the utilisation of advanced yarns and ergonomic designs, G-Tek gloves promise not just ultimate safeguarding but also precision and comfort in movement. This ensures that even the most intricate tasks, such as handling small parts or rough construction materials, are performed with ease and efficiency.

The ethos of G-Tek, centered on providing “protection workers want to wear,” is more than a tagline—it’s a philosophy guiding every product
development decision. This ensures each glove is a perfect blend of safety, functionality, and comfort, meaning workers no longer have to choose between protection and productivity; G-Tek guarantees both.
The effectiveness of G-Tek gloves is not just a claim but is backed by global safety standards and real-world applications. Workplaces that have adopted G-Tek gloves report significantly reduced rates of hand injuries, attesting to their superior protection and durability. G-Tek is not just about manufacturing safety gloves; it’s about championing the cause of safeguarding every hand that plays a role in Australia’s growth and innovation.

As we look ahead, the choice is clear. For industry leaders, safety managers, procurement officers, and workers themselves to recognise
the long-term benefits of investing in quality hand protection solutions.

Choosing G-Tek gloves means more than just complying with safety standards. It’s about making a commitment to the future—ensuring
that every action is secure, every hand is protected, and every task is completed with confidence. Let us not wait for statistics to dictate the narrative. It’s time to act, to choose G-Tek gloves, and to secure a safer tomorrow for all.

Height safety is vitally important across all industries. After all, you don’t have t be very high off the ground before a fall is potentially fatal. This is clear when working at heights on a building site or undertaking a roofing job. The surprising thing is that height safety can be an issue even when working at ground level. If there’s a deep pit nearby, the same safety procedures are required to be followed. The term ‘height safety’ refers to anywhere there’s a risk of falling, including falling into something.

“Safe Work Australia produces codes of practice for high-risk tasks in the workplace,” says Martyn Temple, product specialist at Werner Co Australia. “The company manufactures and distributes a wide range of safety access products, fall protection and vehicle storage systems.
It’s also Australia’s largest distributer of ladders under the Bailey and Werner brands. Safe Work Australia’s ‘Codes of Practice’ publications cover the best work practices for workers at a high risk of injury. These include working at heights, along with other risks such as noise levels, asbestos removal, and working with chemicals.”

CLIMBING HIGH
One of the most commonly used tools when working at heights are ladders—from home DIYers to huge construction sites. The user might only be a metre or two off the ground but a fall can still cause significant injury.
It’s important to be aware that when working from a step ladder, it is more stable in one direction. Workers should face the ladder while working, not stand on it and twist to work to the side. This can cause the ladder to topple over.
“The majority of all ladder accidents are from people overreaching to the side,” says Temple. “When working on a ladder, your centre of mass is higher so it’s easy to overbalance. Once this happens, the instinctive reaction is to throw your weight in the other direction causing the ladder to tip over. The force on the ladder is then transferred to one leg that can cause it to buckle. After the accident, a common assumption is that the ladder collapsed. The reality is that overreaching causes one side to lift off the ground, putting a dynamic load on one point.”
It’s imperative to ensure your ladder is in good order. People commonly damage their ladders but keep using them. Unfortunately, once damaged, it will eventually break with further use.

PROTECTION FROM FALLING
Fall protection is an all-encompassing term for when a system is put in place to protect a person working at heights. It includes full body harnesses, rope grabs, anchors and guardrails. It also includes edge protection that stops people falling from a roof.
“All identified risks at work should have a hierarchy of control applied to reduce the level of risk,” says Temple. “In order of importance, they are: eliminate the hazard, substitute the risk, use engineering controls, use administrative controls, utilise PPE. You should only move to a lower level when it’s not practical to use a higher order control.”
All safety equipment clearly states to inspect the equipment with each use. The onus is on the user to take responsibility for their own safety. This commonsense approach is essential to reduce injury.
“For example, there’s no point in using a harness that has been stained with chemical detergents or solvents,” says Temple. “It can create weak points that may tear apart if you fall. If you’re using other people’s ladders, you need to make sure everything’s safe. A thorough
inspection can save you from pain, injury, financial loss and even death.”

END COMPLACENCY
Workers in construction should undergo White Card Training covering all aspects of safety onsite. The program was introduced to ensure everyone has an understanding of safe work practices.
Individual construction sites are also required to do their own induction on the basic safety concerns for that site. The key thing when working at heights is not to be complacent.
“People who only use a ladder occasionally are very careful,” says Temple. “People such as riggers are aware of the risk because they’re highly trained. Many tradies tend to become complacent because they use ladders every day and have never had an injury. They simply forget that when working at heights, a fall can be disastrous, particularly if there’s a lot of brickwork and steelwork around. Falling onto
something in that environment is the most common cause of serious injuries and death. Even in domestic situations, there are hazards such as bench corners and furniture. Don’t be complacent—ever.”

Did you know it only takes 2% of dehydration to result in up to a 50% decrease in work and mental performance?

To ensure a safe working environment. an adequate supply of cool drinking water and providing electrolytes such as Sqwincher® is crucial for the prevention of dehydration, heat stress, injury and, in the worst cases, death.
Sqwincher® has served Australian workers since 1999 and is a recognised leader in providing safe and effective electrolyte replenishment products that promote fast hydration and good health.

Create a safer and more productive working environment by making Sqwincher® an essential part of your heat stress management plans.
Not only do the Sqwincher® products taste great, are low in sodium, and are available in regular, frozen and sugar free options, but they are also certified under the BRC global standard for food safety.

The range includes a variety of flavours in the following products:
● Liquid Concentrate – Designed to help replenish fluids and electrolytes, keeping people with hard working lifestyles going.
Low sodium, caffeine free and gluten free. Sizes available: 2L (mixes up to 20L) and 500mL (mixes up to 5L).
● Qwik Stiks – Portion control sachets for on-the-go-use. Just add one Qwik Stik to a 600mL water bottle, shake and enjoy!
● Fast Pack – Easy to use on-the-go electrolyte enhanced beverage. Simply tear off the top of the packet, fill with water to the indicated line on the pack, and enjoy your drink straight from the pack.
● Frozen Sqweeze Pops and Sqweeze Pops Zero – provides electrolytes for your body and helps to cool your core body temperature fast with its frozen format.

Hydration that works™.
To place an order or for further information on the Sqwincher range, contact your CSS Member store.

Great Southern Safety P2 respirators are the first cup style P2 masks manufactured in Australia, and are designed specifically for tradies, renovators and home users. They provide a high level of filtration, capturing airborne particles, including dust, silica dust, asbestos and
bushfire smoke.

PROUDLY MANUFACTURED IN AUSTRALIA
Great Southern Safety’s P2 masks are proudly manufactured in Australia safeguarding them against currency fluctuations and shipping delays. They meet the requirements of Australian & New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1716:2012 and are independently tested, undergoing rigorous quality checks.

COMFORT FOR TRADIES
The masks are shaped to provide a snug and ergonomic fit with the cup design ensuring minimal contact with the mouth and nose, reducing moisture build up and giving better breathability and the ability to easily talk. Added features such as an adjustable nose band and dual straps ensure tradies can feel comfortable for long hours on the work site.

SILICOSIS RESPONSE
Silicosis is a growing concern for those working with materials such as bricks, tiles or concrete. It is a progressive and potentially fatal lung disease caused by inhaling naturally occurring crystalline silica dust.
Industries where workers are most affected are construction, mining and manufacturing, where exposure to the fine silica dust is common. Silicosis can lead to lung scarring, breathing difficulties and even death in severe cases.
Great Southern Safety recognises the growing concern about this disease, and their P2 masks are a locally manufactured response to help address the problem and protect workers in high-risk industries.

AVAILABLE NOW
Great Southern Safety P2 respirators are available in both valved (GSSP2V) and non-valved (GSSP2) options for different preferences and work environments and are available now through CSS members stores.

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