Weak at the knees

SHORTLY AFTER launching into the UK and European market in 2019, ToughBuilt implemented a campaign to address an important, cross-industry safety concern which it felt could no longer be ignored.

“#KneelSmartKneelSafe aims to engage, inform and educate people in a variety of professions on the importance of protecting their knees” explains Matt Handley.

“As a company which manufactures knee pads, ToughBuilt is exposed to some of the alarming statistics relating to work-related knee injuries on a regular basis.

“Given this knowledge, our efforts to raise awareness of the need for adequate knee protection isn’t motivated by commercial gain, but by a duty of care. We see it as our moral responsibility to share our insight and understanding for the greater good of the industries we serve.”

The UK’s leading cause of lost workdays

The statistics Matt is referring to include those from Business in the Community - a network established by the Prince of Wales to champion responsible business.

Its research determined that musculoskeletal problems such as back, shoulder and knee pain are the leading cause of lost working days in the UK, costing the economy an estimated 31 million days every year.

Similarly, research published by the Health & Safety Executive in late 2020 highlighted that of the 480,000 work-related musculoskeletal disorders recorded for 2019/2020, some 93,000 affected the lower limbs - including the knees.

“It’s worrying that work-related knee injuries are so prevalent and especially given the ubiquity of zero injury cultures in the modern business world” comments Matt. “Surely one knee injury caused in the workplace or though work-related activity is one too many.”

He continues, “The unfortunate truth is, most of us take our knees for granted and only realise how important they are to our overall quality of life and wellbeing when they no longer function as they should.

“The knees are one of the important loadbearing joints in the human body and play a crucial role in enabling us to walk, run, climb, jump, sit down and to get back up again.”

Aside from the obvious human cost of knee injuries sustained at work, there are commercial and legal implications to consider too.

As a prime example, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers by law to carry out risk assessments of activities undertaken by their employees. Where a need for knee protection is identified, it is important this is supplied to avoid possible prosecution and significant financial penalties.

The crippling consequences

Broadly speaking, knee injuries that can be sustained at work fall into two categories. Impact injuries - such as those caused by kneeling on a sharp item or striking the knee against a hard object - and longer-term ‘wear and tear’ injuries.

This latter group includes those caused by extended periods of kneeling without the proper protection. This subjects the knee and surrounding tissue to excessive and unhealthy levels of pressure with the damage building up over time.

These longer-term, cumulative conditions are perhaps the most concerning as they have the potential to be a ticking timebomb. In a similar way to asbestosis, the harm isn’t immediately apparent and it’s only further down the line that the consequences come to light.

Just one of the conditions which can be caused by prolonged, non-protected kneeling is knee bursitis. This entails a small fluid-filled sac called the bursa - which reduces friction and cushions pressure points between your bones and the tendons, muscles and skin – becoming inflamed. In chronic cases, the bursa may need to be removed by a surgical procedure known as bursectomy.

Another knee condition, which can be work-related, is osteoarthritis. Widely known as wear-and-tear arthritis, osteoarthritis involves the cartilage, which provides cushioning for the knee joint, wearing away. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the UK and can be caused by activity that places constant stress or pressure on the knee joint. Again, that includes kneeling.

#KneelSmartKneelSafe

To ensure greater knee safety at work, ToughBuilt’s #KneelSmartKneelSafe campaign is a coordinated programme of activity that includes working with the media to produce educational articles, lobbying key policy makers and collaborating with leading authorities such as the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF).

The business is also offering advice to individuals and organisers to help them choose knee protection which is fit for purpose. As a rule of thumb, the company advocates looking for suitable levels of performance in three key areas - penetration resistance, force distribution and shock absorption.

Penetration resistance is measured in levels between 0 and 2 with 2 being the higher. A knee pad with a 0 rating will not prevent impact injuries like those caused by accidentally kneeling on a nail, stone or other jagged or sharp-edged surface. 

As Matt concludes, “Perhaps the simplest way of choosing the correct knee protection is to always opt for knee pads that carry CE or the UKCA markings, or that are certified to relevant standards such as BS EN 14404.”
He adds: “Ultimately, it makes sense to choose knee pads with the same care, consideration, and sense of importance as other forms of PPE like hard hats, safety boots or safety goggles. After all, the consequences of not wearing this vital piece equipment, whether it’s from immediate injury or long-term illness, can be every bit as devastating.” 

The majority of ToughBuilt’s knee pads offer CE and UKCA certification and one of their most popular knee pads recently received two commendations at the Safety & Health Excellence(SHE) Awards in conjunction with the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF). The ToughBuilt GelFit Rocker Knee Pads firstly picked up a BSIF Product Innovation Award.

Based on the patented SnapShell system, ToughBuilt GelFit Rocker Knee Pads offer users unparalleled levels of versatility. The SnapShell at the front of the knee pad is interchangeable and provides the freedom to tailor pads to suit different tasks and work environments. Three types of SnapShell are available – non-marring, rocker (for use on rough terrain) and stablisers. The pads can also be used without any SnapShell.

ToughBuilt GelFit Rocker Knee Pads have an ergonomic gel and foam design which embraces the natural shape of the knee and upper shin, maximising pressure distribution for all-day comfort. High side walls greatly also reduce twisting off of the knee whilst EVA elastic leg straps comfortably hold the pads in place without cutting off circulation or binding behind the knee.
ToughBuilt was further commended in the BSIF Safety Solution category. This second commendation was for the manufacturer’s on-going efforts to engage, educate and inform UK industry on the need to employ adequate knee protection in the workplace.

ToughBuilt’s knee pads were recently reviewed on the SkillBuilder YouTube channel as part of their #KneelSmartKneelSafe campaign. Esteemed trade professional Roger Bisby explored the requirement for knee pads on the job site, provided testimonials of tradespeople who have had to give up their job due to knee problems, and explained that a lot of knee pads on the market offer little puncture protection.

“A significant number of trades professionals choose not to wear knee protection because they deem it to be uncomfortable. They found that when they kneel, the strap cuts into the back of their knee and cuts off circulation. All PPE needs to be comfortable, because if it’s not, it tends to get left in the van,” comments Bisby.
He then went on to review ToughBuilt’s best-selling GelFit Fanatic Thigh Support Knee Pads, which combat this very problem with a double strap, one high on the thigh, and one lower down on the calf, preventing circulation cut-off, as well as many other innovative comfort and protective features. 
Bisby also fully explains ToughBuilt’s SnapShell system, their unique individual uses, and the fact that ToughBuilt knee pads (and all products) are eligible for a 25-year guarantee. 

Matt Handley is European head of marketing at ToughBuilt. For more information, visit https://toughbuilt.com/knee-pads