Decisions, Decisions: What to Look for in a Safety Product Supplier

When shopping around for a safety product supplier, often times safety engineers and purchasing managers will focus on price, ignoring a whole spectrum of important factors. Price is important; after all, in business a healthy bottom line is vital. However, if you simply focus on purchasing the cheapest product available, you will get what you pay for, which can end up costing you more down the road.

It's okay to use price as a guideline for purchasing safety products when you take other factors into consideration, such as a supplier's experience, dedication to research and development, industry knowledge, reputation for quality, dedicated customer service staff, and focus/specialization. Weighing all these together will give you a better picture of the product you're purchasing and will help you make a better decision…one that will have a healthy effect on your bottom line.

Experience

Take a look at how long potential safety suppliers have been in business. In this case, the longer, the better. With a longer history, companies have time to develop proven manufacturing methods and to continuously improve processes, materials and ultimately product improvements. Plus, years in business equals stability. Do you really want to do business with someone who might not be around tomorrow?

Dedication to Research & Development

Another good measure of a potential supplier is their dedication to research and development. If a company seems stagnant, offering the same group of products with no new developments year after year, that shows a lack of commitment. An emphasis to research and development not only shows the company is interested in moving forward and growing, but also shows they listen to customers and develop new products or improve products to fit their needs. It also shows a knowledge of the market place; companies that are constantly innovating can anticipate customer needs and are flexible to changing market conditions.

Industry Knowledge

You wouldn't hire an electrician who didn't understand basic electrical principles or have knowledge of municipal codes and regulations. The same thing goes for your safety product supplier. Make sure potential suppliers not only have knowledge of the industry regulations and standards, but also have a working knowledge of proper safeguarding methods and techniques. Look for memberships in industry associations; these groups provide knowledge and experience beyond the every day. Also look for a company that has a great deal of knowledge about the standards that govern your particular machinery. A company that was actually there to help write the standards is best.

Reputation for Quality

Talk to other customers of each potential supplier to determine whether or not they have a commitment to quality. Are they ISO-certified? How sensitive is the product? How much weight can it withstand? Can it stand up to heavy forklift traffic? How does it handle fluids—is it totally submersible?

A higher quality product might be more expensive at first, but in the long run, the investment will pay off. Often times, with safety mats in particular, you may have to spend 3 or 4 times the cost of a higher quality product to replace a lower quality on every time it fails…not to mention the costs associated with inefficiencies and down time. In the end, higher quality is always better for your bottom line. Check product warranties—the longer a manufacturer stands behind its products, you can expect more trouble-free service and less down time.

Dedicated Customer Service Staff

If you ever do have a problem with your safety products, who can you call? Often times, once a product is installed, the supplier feels their job is done. Make sure potential suppliers have a well-trained customer service staff totally dedicated to providing customer assistance when you need it. In addition, a dedicated customer service staff can give you a quick turn-around on quotes and other requests.

Focus/Specialization

Many safety product suppliers will offer the full spectrum of products, from light curtains and area scanners to safety mats and palm buttons. You should ask the question, however, if they do a little of everything, is there anything that they do particularly well? You should choose a supplier that has a general focus on only one or two products. That focus will allow them to provide a higher quality product in the long run. In addition, a focused supplier will have greater knowledge and will have the ability to be more responsive to customer needs.