The science of the three Fs: Fit, Form, Function

This article was created in partnership with 3M Canada.

Back in 2015, 3M Company acquired Capital Safety and with that integration, expanded its signature comprehensive offering of personal protective equipment (PPE). As a 20-year employee of 3M, Michael Spylo was learning more about the boots-on-the-ground safety space when a simple note from a worker drove home the importance of the gear that goes along with it.

On a fall protection demonstration vehicle in which the 3M team journeyed to various sites, a Post-it on the windshield read: I will never use anything but DBI SALA — it saved my life more than once.

“In many careers, what you do has an impact, but gear in the safety space truly does save lives,” says Spylo, now Business Director, Personal Safety Division at 3M Canada. “I realized at that point this was a phenomenal addition to our portfolio that would allow us to drive forward with the prioritization of making sure all workers got home safety at the end of each day.”

That experience and the new perspective it provided has informed his work ever since. He knows from experience that mistakes happen on all job sites and the fall out impacts productivity, families, friendships, and quality of life, period. His advice for employers, especially amid retention challenges in the trades?

“Take the time to make sure you’re equipping your workers with the right gear, ensure they’re comfortable in it, and engage your safety specialists in the field,” he says. “When you invest in quality solutions for your employees, you retain them. They’re safer, happier, and more productive — getting your jobs done on time or even sooner. It’s a win-win.”

The science of fit

At 3M, the goal is as simple as it is critical: to create safety products that allow workers to be comfortable, productive, and focused. But that’s an ever-moving target given that workplace demographics, protection needs, and industry standards never stand still.

From oil and gas to pharma and construction, 3M engages with many segments across multiple industries and fundamental to its operations is listening to the end users. Taking fall protection as an example, there’s a lot to consider between functionality and adaptability — especially with Canada’s four seasons calling for gear that works whether it’s worn over one shirt in the summer or bulky layers in the winter months. Whether launching new harnesses or improving on existing options, 3M safety specialists regularly meet with tradespeople on the ground. If someone wears 3M’s gear, “we want to hear from you,” Spylo stresses, because the team incorporates those learnings into what it brings to market.

For 3M, as a material science company, it’s about the three Fs: fit, form, and function. If a worker is uncomfortable, first and foremost they’re distracted and that creates opportunity for errors. Second, they’ll always be adjusting their gear, which may mean removing it for short periods of time as they try to figure out what feels best — that’s unsafe in a work environment. And finally, they’ll be less productive and more costly to the organization they’re working for.

“We spend a lot of time in the field understanding how our products perform and whether they’re comfortable,” Spylo explains, pointing again to fall protection harnesses as an example. To address those three Fs, the 3M harness comes with auto-adjusting lockers so once it’s adjusted to fit the person wearing it, it doesn’t slip and slide. This gives workers back those fidgety minutes at the beginning of each day and allows them to get going right away. Also, unlike some competitors, 3M doesn’t take any sort of gendered approach. The products are always based on the size and configuration of the individual.

“We make gear for everybody, to fit every body,” Spylo says. “Our commitment is to the science of fit.”

Next generation innovation

3M is on a mission to create products that move the industry forward. As much as the team takes onboard feedback about existing gear, they’re always projecting forward. What can be expanded upon? Is there something that can be improved, that might help down the line? Much of this creative thinking involves ushering in a new generation of PPE technology to make ideas reality. When asked about this deep dedication to innovation, Spylo has no shortage of examples.

One of 3M’s recently launched products is the Secure Click Respirator Platform, which got a substantial overhaul from its last iteration. It was redesigned to address users’ common pain points, such as a cartridge that clicks in much like a seatbelt would, to signal it’s placed correctly, and engineering of the cartridges to enhance surface area design and quad flow to lessen resistance, making it easier to breath and more comfortable to work for a longer time. A speaking diaphragm was also added, so that the worker could answer the phone or respond to a radio call without removing the respirator — staying safe and productive.

Another example is new welding technology, which Spylo describes as “phenomenal.” Building on the solid foundation of the fifth-generation welding helmets, the G5-02  launches with the industry’s first  curved auto darkening filter for TIG welders.  Expanding this line further with G5-03 Pro and G5-03 Pro Air by listening to welders and their requirements, these helmets deliver enhanced usability, visibility, and last but not least, productivity. Instead of lifting the welding shield to expose the grinding shield, they just tap the helmet, and it will transition to a 2.5 light state lens for cutting and grinding.

“These are highly paid, highly skilled professionals and they’re able to do their best work more efficiently, more productively,” Spylo notes. “At the end of the day, it helps them get more weld feet (or metres) completed in a shift, a measure that matters.”

Back to the fall prevention space, 3M tackled a common problem for those working at height: shoulder strain and fatigue. Adjustable based on torso height, the 3M team launched a weight distribution system — which looks like a spinal cord — that transfers the weight of the gear from the shoulders to the hips, once again allowing for  greater comfort, focus, and overall  productivity. 

“It's the voices from the field that really create today, the innovative products we’ll have tomorrow,” Spylo says. “When our teams of researchers gather feedback and combine it with our science-backed approach and technological capability, the sky’s the limit. We strive to create solutions people haven’t even asked for yet.”

Ultimately, there’s a lot of great things happening in the world of PPE, and it gives people the opportunity to operate at their most competent and capable. While there are many choices out there, 3M believes its innovative solutions differentiate it from the crowd and are foundational to a productive, comfortable, and happier work environment — but don’t take Spylo’s word for it.

“Reach out to us with whatever needs you may have that are unfulfilled or unmet, we would love to see where we help. Through science and innovation, we’re on a journey toward ensuring safe worksites and we’re happy to take you and your workforce along with us.”