The shift to advanced PPE: How Milwaukee Tool is leading the way in job site safety innovation

Latest statistics from Safe Work Australia show that 5,000 serious claims were linked to head injuries in FY23, with hands, fingers and thumbs also accounting for about 13%, or 17,849, of all serious claims in the same period.

All mine site workers have the right to a safe working environment and to head home safely at the end of every shift – but the challenges to overcome this remain significant.

The Australian Mining Review speaks with Milwaukee Tool business development manager Andrew Miller about performance, innovative and advanced personal protective equipment (PPE) solutions currently available to the Australian mining industry that offer workers superior protection from head and hand injuries.

Milwaukee’s commitment to ongoing innovation and improvement to bolster job-site productivity, performance and safety are central components of the company’s DNA.

“We’re in the business of creating innovation that solves end-user problems on the jobsite,” said Miller, “and the key question we consider when developing an approach to every problem is ‘how can we make products that improve the lives of our end users?’.

“Developing solutions that enhance functionality, and are more reliable and durable while improving safety, are central to this process”.

These overarching parameters apply to the many prototypes and products that Milwaukee develops for the Australian mining industry.

“Milwaukee was the first company to bring a battery-operated 1-inch wrench to the market and, in the mining space, this is essentially the pinnacle of tools,” said Miller.

“Using that same approach, we are now leading the way in safety innovation by disrupting the PPE market with the ultimate aim of making the workplace safer and more productive for the end user.”

BOLT System head protection

Introducing the Milwaukee® BOLT System for head protection

That commitment to innovation and safety is very much in evidence in Milwaukee’s BOLT System head protection range, which includes BOLT 200 helmets, BOLT 100 hard hats and a range of safety accessories that can be quickly and easily attached and removed.

As the name suggests, accessories are ‘bolted’ on for the task at hand. Multiple accessories can be secured simultaneously so that workers stay safe and productive and have a variety of different options for different job requirements – and all have been tested and certified for use in combination with BOLT Head Protection.

On mine sites, that translates to a number of benefits. BOLT’s built-in adaptability makes it simpler to use the correct head protection and accessories for the task at hand.

Unlike traditional head protection, which require the separate use of attachments, the BOLT system ensures the wearer doesn’t have to compromise on other factors like ear and eye protection.

That means that users can easily swap and adjust safety accessories for the face, eyes, ears, personal lighting and sun protection, all of which can easily be done while wearing the helmet or hard hat.

That equates to efficient, versatile safety solutions for workers on the job without compromising time, resources and productivity.

“The premise behind BOLT is that we’re bringing premium impact head protection to the market, with an ergonomic design that reduces heat, is lightweight and maintains a higher level of safety, improving the lives of our end users,” said Miller.

“Where it also differs from traditional hard hats is, as the name describes, you can ‘bolt’ on accessories and attachments.

“Historically, you needed to have a helmet and then add additional protection, such as glasses or ear plugs, for each application undertaken.

“Now, you can now ‘bolt’ on multiple accessories like a headlamp, a visor, a wide-span brim, a set of earmuffs, a pair of safety glasses or a hard hat lining, to name just a few – with the ability to click them straight on and utilise them as required without taking off one accessory to use another.”

Miller says the market was previously extremely limited, with very few options, and it was challenging to find a brand or product that allowed safety glasses to be attached to hard hats.

“You would traditionally buy a standard pair of safety glasses and then wear those with the hard hat, but with Milwaukee you can buy a safety visor in either clear or tinted options, and just clip it onto your hard hat,” he said.

“When you’re completing a task or an application, you can pull your safety visor down, and when you’re finished, you can lift it up.”

The BOLT System head protection gear is compatible with all BOLT accessories, including Milwaukee’s range of clear or tinted visors that are both anti-fog and anti-scratch, earmuffs with an SCL80 rating of class 5 (26dB NRR), sunshades and headlamps featuring 600 lumens of flood lighting and powered by a lithium battery.

For the user, the BOLT 100 hard hat offers top impact protection, while the BOLT 200 helmet provides both top and side impact protection, thanks to a Durable LexanTM shell and inner foam suspension which distributes impact force evenly.

The BOLT System of head protection is lightweight, comfortable, ergonomic and offers an improved fit for the user with its replaceable sweatbands and wheel ratcheting suspension for tightening around the head.

BOLT head protection is certified to AS/ NZS 1801:1997 – type 1 occupational head protection.

Cut 7(F) high-dexterity nitrile-dipped gloves

Milwaukee has also brought a solution to market to encourage workers to keep their gloves on.

According to Safe Work Australia, arms and hands are the most likely body parts to be injured at work, with over 45,500 claims reported in FY 23 alone, highlighting the need for more effective and consistent use of PPE.

Milwaukee’s R&D (research and development) team recognised that many workplaces demanded a higher performing, breathable and comfortable glove that could protect workers from heavy machinery injuries in the age of automation and digitalisation.

The company’s solution to this problem is its Cut 7(F) high-dexterity nitrile-dipped gloves, ideal for metal and glass handling and cutting applications. These cut and puncture resistant gloves are made of an 18-gauge knit for greater hand mobility. Nitrile-dipped palms offer ultimate durability and grip performance, protecting hands, fingers and thumbs from cuts and lacerations caused by sharp tools, jagged rocks and broken equipment, while the reinforced nitrile coating between the thumb and index finger provides increased durability in high-wear areas.

Maximum dexterity in the Cut 7(F) gloves is also maintained through its cutting-edge SMARTSWIPE™ fingertips technology. “SMARTSWIPE™, developed by Milwaukee, enables the use of your touch screen tablet, phone or handheld device without removing your gloves,” said Miller.

Milwaukee gloves also feature a colour coded wrist band and back-of-hand logo for easy cut-level identification. Traditionally, users compromised dexterity with increased cut levels. Milwaukee listened to users and developed a range of high dexterity gloves in Cut 3(C), Cut 5(E), and Cut 7(F).

“With the age we’re living in right now, the use of phones and tablets are more commonplace than ever and are used increasingly to operate heavy machinery,” said Miller.

“By introducing high dexterity gloves, workers now have the ability to use their smart devices while also experiencing a better sensation and improved dexterity handling and working with small nuts, bolts and fasteners.”

Disruptive safety & innovation

Beyond BOLT and SMARTSWIPE™, Milwaukee continues to serve the Australian mining industry more broadly through its leadership in safety innovation.

Its REDLINK™ Plus intelligence technology offers another glimpse into how this 100-year-old company has been delivering innovative solutions since 1924.

Combining advanced hardware and software REDLINK™ Plus intelligence enables advanced communication between batteries and tools, and is incorporated in all of its battery-operated tools, delivering unmatched performance, productivity and protection.

ONE-KEY™ technology, also developed by Milwaukee, manages inventory and tracks tools and equipment. Based on three core principles – customise, track and manage – compatible tools can be customised within parameters to prevent risk and injury to the user.

“For many of our products, if an apprentice is new to a tool, we can, for example, dial the RPM right down and switch anti-kickback on to prevent the end user from potentially damaging their wrist,” said Miller.

“We can also manage an entire mine site or mining company’s inventory.”

“As part of this tracking ability, we can set up a geofence around a site to understand what tools are within that job site.”

“If a tool goes outside of that geofence, or if there is a tool we can’t follow, it is reported as missing, and that gives the user the ability to lock out that tool, meaning it cannot be used by anybody and has to be reopened by the owner of the tool.”

Boots on the ground

Milwaukee sets itself apart with its boots on the ground approach.

The company doesn’t just stick its label on existing products – rather, it spends years researching and developing innovative features to solve major end user problems.

Milwaukee then trials these products on site to get direct feedback from those using the tools on the front lines.

“With PPE being such a heavily saturated market, Milwaukee is very much focused on how we can design and refine products and solutions that improve the lives of the user, based on end-user insights and listening to their frustrations,” said Miller.

“That commitment to user driven innovation is ultimately what separates us from the pack.

“Generally, end users will see an immediate difference, or have an immediate understanding, of why Milwaukee products are far more suited to their everyday needs.

“Our aim is to provide end users with a safer, more effective, more reliable solution that’s going to save them time and money.

“One of the hardest parts is going to a mine site and bringing a product – whether it’s a hard hat, a pair of gloves or a new tool  then asking a tradesperson that has been using the same product for 30 years, to use our product because we’re telling them it’s better.

“So, we educate and demonstrate to our end users why Milwaukee tools are more durable and safer.”

Improving the lives of its users

To learn more about Milwaukee Tool safety solutions call +61 1300 645 928 or
visit: www.milwaukeetool.com.au.