An innovative new idea involving personal protective equipment (PPE) vending machines could help worksites to save time and money, as well as reduce waste and improve site safety. 

According to Brad Rogers of ProChoice Safety Gear, the demand for vend-ready products is increasing and the company is set to release its own range of vend-ready products. 

“The machines improve stock control and the sites that use them significantly reduce their PPE wastage, while also being able to dispense PPE 24 hours a day without the need to have someone in the storeroom all the time,” he says. 

He believes that they also create better accountability as the machines could track PPE usage more closely using smartcard technology, with a card assigned to each worker.

“If someone is getting a new pair of safety glasses every day, that might raise a red flag. Alternatively, if they’re not using enough PPE then they may not be adequately protected,” says Brad.

The benefits and increased use of vending machines is what prompted ProChoice to start supplying their own range of products, he adds.

So far, the company has released vend-ready ear plugs, safety glasses, disposable respirators and five styles of glove. The items have to be compact so as not to snag on coils when dispensed.

There is also potential, he believes, for vending lockers that could store larger, high-value products. The vending machines, he says, cover most of the essentials including hand, eye, respiratory and hearing protection.