How to Source PPE for Your Business

The importance of personal protective equipment, or PPE, has become apparent over the past 18 months, even more so when those that needed the equipment most struggled to source it at the height of the pandemic.

Even though we are hopefully gradually coming out from the other side of the COVID crisis, the need for PPE remains so that you can keep your workers safe. In this blog, we are looking at how to source PPE for your business.

Identify your needs and find a reliable supplier 

The first step to sourcing PPE for your business is to work out your exact needs. This could be medical masks, gloves, FFP2 and FFP3 respirators, pulse oximeters, thermometers or rapid test kits. Whatever your requirements are, make a detailed list of items and quantities and then find a supplier who can meet these needs on a regular basis.

Much like sales forecasting, if you can anticipate what your needs will be, rather than just what they currently are, you are much more likely to be able to negotiate a long-term deal with a supplier that ensures product availability.

Try to secure the best possible prices

You should be aiming to get a good deal on all your procurement activities, but this is especially important for vital products such as PPE equipment that you will need to be ordering regularly. A long-term strategic partnership is likely to yield better prices than any one-off or short-term deals.

Only buy from compliant manufacturers

In your pursuit to find the best deals on PPE for your business, if you see some deals that seem too good to be true, then they probably are. PPE is designed for the safety and wellbeing of your employees, and you should never cut corners on this responsibility. As the British Safety Industry Federation themselves say “anyone can sell safety, but you shouldn’t buy safety from just anyone”.

Use a safe, registered supplier 

Just as you should only be buying PPE from compliant manufacturers, you should also only be using a safe, registered supplier of PPE equipment, so that you know that you can be assured that all compliance protocols are being met. Here at Rebound, we are a Certified British Safety Industry Federation (BSiF) Registered Safety Supplier. Using a BSiF registered supplier assures HSE and Trading Standards that you have a robust vendor selection system.

Choose a supplier who can offer real-time support

Ongoing, reliable support is a must when sourcing important products such as PPE. Even if your circumstances or budget changes, acquiring quality, certified PPE must remain a priority, which is why you need to work with a supplier who is flexible and adept at quick decision making so that your compliance never suffers.

When sourcing PPE for your business, quality and reliability are paramount. Here at Rebound, we are ISO13485 certified and carefully select compliant manufacturers to ensure that our clients can buy from us with confidence. You can read more about our certifications, as well as our product brochures, here.