In the UK, there is a growing trend of employers providing their workers with body armour. This is usually in the form of a vest or jacket which is worn under the clothes. The armour is designed to protect the wearer from knife or gunshot wounds. It’s becoming more common in a variety of industries, from security to construction. But is this trend a good thing? In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of body armour in the workplace. We’ll also look at whether or not it’s something that should be more widely used in the UK.
The pros of body armour in the workplace
There are many arguments in favour of providing body armour in the workplace. Some of these include: – Protection: Body armour can help protect people from serious injury or death. If an employee is stabbed or shot, this could potentially save their life. – Custodial staff: Prison officers and those working in jails often wear body armour to protect themselves from attack. – Health and safety: Wearing body armour can help to reduce the risk of injury in certain professions. – Reducing risk: When workers wear body armour, they can reduce the risk of contracting blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis C. – Saving money: Providing staff with body armour can help to reduce the cost of workplace injuries. It can also reduce the number of days taken off work. – Saving lives: Providing workers with body armour could potentially save lives.
The cons of body armour in the workplace
There are some drawbacks to providing employees with body armour. Some of these include: – Cost: Body armour can be expensive. Depending on the type of armour, it can be a significant cost for employers. It can also be expensive to maintain and clean. – Fit: Finding the right fit for each employee can be challenging. It’s important that the armour is comfortable and fits correctly. This can be difficult to achieve as different people come in different shapes and sizes. – Safety: It’s important that people wear their armour correctly. If the armour isn’t fitted correctly, it can be ineffective. It can also increase the risk of injury if it isn’t worn correctly.
The debate about body armour in the workplace
There is an ongoing debate about whether or not to provide body armour in the workplace. There are many pros and cons to this debate. Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument. On the one hand, providing body armour could potentially save lives. If the armour is fitted correctly and employees wear it when they need to, it could provide some level of protection against knife or gunshot wounds. On the other hand, there is a strong argument that body armour is a false sense of security. When people wear armour and they don’t need to, they are more likely to take risks. As a result, they could be more likely to sustain serious injuries as they may not feel as protected.
Is body armour needed in more jobs in the UK?
To answer this question, we first need to know which industries currently provide body armour to their staff. Body armour is most commonly found in law enforcement. This includes police officers and security guards. Body armour is also commonly used in the healthcare industry. This includes paramedics and doctors. Other industries where body armour is occasionally used include: construction, social care, education, and transport. If a wider range of occupations used body armour, it could potentially save lives. However, we need to be sure that the armour is provided and used correctly. Otherwise, it could do more harm than good.
