In modern factories, especially in the FMCG, F&B, packaging, electronics, and logistics industries, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory to protect workers and ensure safe production operations. However, in reality, many PPE violations still occur daily despite companies having regulations and providing regular training. Many cases are only discovered after an incident or during internal inspections. So, what are the common PPE violations in factories, and how can businesses more effectively control them using AI technology?

I. What is PPE?

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) refers to personal protective equipment provided to workers to minimize the risk of injury and exposure to hazardous elements during work. Depending on the production area, PPE may include:

• Safety helmets
• Safety glasses
• Gloves
• Face masks
• Reflective vests
• Safety shoes
• Specialized uniforms

Each type of PPE plays a specific role in minimizing risks and meeting the SHE/EHS standards of the business.

II. Why Do Workers Still Violate PPE Regulations?

Although most businesses have implemented PPE regulations and conducted regular safety training, non-compliance remains quite common in practice. This can stem from complacency when working in familiar environments, removing PPE for convenience, forgetting to use it after breaks or when moving to a different work area. In addition, a lack of continuous supervision and insufficient awareness of the dangers of each job are also factors that increase violations.

In high-speed production lines such as FMCG, F&B, and packaging, these violations often only last a few seconds but can still lead to serious accidents or affect the entire factory operation.

► Read more: International safety standard factory automation with AI

III. 6 Common PPE Mistakes in Factories

1. Not Wearing a Safety Helmet

This is a common mistake in areas with:

• Industrial Robots
• Forklifts
• Cranes
• Warehouses

Not wearing a safety helmet increases the risk of injury from falling objects or collisions.

2. Not Wearing a Mask

The failure to wear a mask is particularly common in production environments with high hygiene and contamination control requirements, such as F&B factories, cleanrooms, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Failure to comply with this regulation not only increases the risk to workers’ health but can also contaminate products, disrupt production, and fail to meet hygiene, quality, and audit standards.

3. Not wearing gloves

Gloves are one of the essential pieces of personal protective equipment, protecting workers from hazards such as sharp edges, high temperatures, chemicals, grease, and bacteria during work. Not using gloves or using them incorrectly not only increases the risk of injury to workers but can also affect product quality, especially in the F&B, electronics, and pharmaceutical industries, where strict hygiene and contamination control are required.

4. Not wearing reflective vests

In warehousing and logistics areas, reflective vests play a crucial role in increasing the visibility of workers to forklifts, AGVs, and other transport vehicles. Thanks to their light-reflecting and high-contrast capabilities, reflective vests help vehicle operators easily spot workers from a distance, especially in low-light conditions or areas with high traffic density. If not used correctly, the risk of collision between workers and operating vehicles increases significantly, posing numerous occupational safety risks.

5. Not using safety glasses

Jobs such as mechanical processing, chemical handling, cutting, and grinding all pose risks of dust, sparks, debris, or chemicals splashing into the eyes. If workers do not use appropriate safety glasses, the risk of eye injury increases significantly, ranging from mild irritation to serious injuries that directly affect health and work capacity.

6. Using PPE incorrectly

In addition to not using PPE, many workers still wear PPE but incorrectly, such as:

• Incorrectly fastening the chin strap
• Wearing a mask that doesn’t cover the nose completely
• Wearing gloves unsuitable for the job
• Wearing the wrong uniform for the production area

These errors can still reduce the effectiveness of protection and increase the risk of accidents.

IV. Consequences of PPE Violations

PPE violations not only increase the risk of workplace accidents but also affect many other aspects of production operations.

1. Increased Workplace Accidents

When PPE is not used or is used improperly, workers face numerous risks during their work. Depending on the specific job and production environment, these risks may include head injuries from impacts or falling objects, burns from heat or chemicals, cuts from contact with sharp objects, eye injuries from dust, sparks, or debris, as well as direct contact with toxic chemicals. These incidents not only affect the health of workers but can also disrupt production and incur significant costs for the business.

2. Impact on Product Quality

For the F&B, electronics, and cleanroom industries, PPE violations can lead to:

• Foreign objects in products
• Production contamination
• Failure to meet hygiene standards

3. Failure to meet audit requirements

International standards such as ISO 45001, GMP, HACCP, and BRC all require businesses to establish and maintain an effective safety management system, in which controlling and ensuring employee compliance with PPE is a crucial aspect. Businesses not only need to issue regulations on personal protective equipment but also have the ability to monitor, record, and demonstrate compliance during operations. This is also one of the criteria often assessed in internal audits and inspections by customers or certification bodies.

4. Increased Operating Costs

Even a seemingly small PPE violation can have a significant impact on factory operations. When incidents occur, businesses may have to halt production lines for repairs, investigate the cause, incur compensation and remediation costs, and reduce production efficiency. These disruptions not only affect operational efficiency but can also slow down delivery schedules and increase costs for the business.

► Read more: The importance of building a workplace safety culture

V. How does AI help detect PPE violations?

Instead of relying entirely on manual monitoring, more and more businesses are choosing Safety AI CCTV to automatically monitor PPE compliance in real time. Using AI and Computer Vision technology, the system can analyze live camera images to immediately detect violations such as not wearing a helmet, not wearing a mask, not wearing gloves, not wearing a reflective vest, not using safety glasses, or wearing the wrong uniform according to regulations in each production area.

Upon detecting a violation, Safety AI CCTV will activate a multi-level alert mechanism to help businesses react quickly to risks. The system can:

• Display alerts on the dashboard
• Sound the alarm or siren at the scene
• Send notifications to the EHS department or management
• Save data for audits and safety improvements

VI. Applications in FMCG, F&B and Packaging industries

Safety AI CCTV is effectively deployed at:

• Production area
• Logistics
• Packaging area
• Cleanroom
• Robot area
• Line entrance gate

For FMCG, F&B and Packaging factories with hundreds of employees working in shifts, AI helps significantly reduce PPE violations that are difficult to control with the naked eye, while improving safety management efficiency.

VII. Start protecting your workers today with Safety AI CCTV

PPE violations are a common cause of workplace accidents and directly impact product quality, operational efficiency, and the ability to meet audit standards. Instead of only detecting violations after an incident occurs, businesses can use Safety AI CCTV to monitor PPE in real time, provide immediate alerts, and build a proactive safety culture in the factory.

Safety AI CCTV is an AI-powered safety monitoring solution developed by i-Soft, helping businesses automatically detect PPE violations, identify hazardous behaviors, and provide real-time alerts. The solution is suitable for FMCG, F&B, packaging, electronics, logistics, and many other manufacturing industries, contributing to improved EHS management and reduced operational risks. Get a consultation now!

i-Soft Joint Stock Company – specializing in providing factory digitalization software solutions

► Address: 115 N2 Road, Long Truong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
► Hotline: 0989 739 488
► Email: info@i-soft.com.vn