Tranemo Safety Academy: Knowledge, Safety and Awareness
“Just cut it off, he said. And then it all blew up.”
That newspaper headline stayed with Wilmar Platenkamp, Product Specialist at Tranemo Benelux. One morning, with a cup of coffee in hand, he read the story of an installer whose home installation went terribly wrong. A short circuit led to an explosion, leaving him with serious burns: third-degree on his hands and second-degree on his right ear. In the end, all employees received new arc flash certified personal protective equipment (PPE) and their working methods changed.
“It’s a shame that such changes often only happen afterwards,” says Wilmar. “With the right PPE, it is likely that the injuries would have been much less serious.”
We don’t sell clothing, we sell safety
At Tranemo, it isn’t just about clothing, it’s about safety. Of course, it’s important that our garments are comfortable to wear, but above all, they must offer the highest level of protection against the risks associated with specific kinds of work.
“For every end user, we provide personalised PPE advice. It’s never copy and paste,” Wilmar explains. “Our mission isn’t just to deliver safe clothing, but also to share knowledge, because safety starts with awareness.”
The Tranemo Safety Academy
We share our knowledge through the Tranemo Safety Academy: interactive training sessions where our product specialists share their expertise on protective clothing, standards and legislation.
Tranemo Safety Academy training sessions are held in all our markets, through our local offices across Europe. Each market works in its own way, from larger centralised training sessions to more tailored sessions on site with customers and retailers, but the goal is always the same. To increase knowledge and awareness of safety.
For example: every year, Tranemo Benelux hosts several Safety Academies. Most take place in their own showroom, but they also hold them on-site with dealers or end users. The programme keeps expanding; recently, successful sessions were held in Belgium and the north of the Netherlands, keeping the training accessible for everyone.
Each session is different, shaped by the interaction and questions from participants. But in broad terms, the following topics are always part of the program:
• Explanation of different standards and testing methods
• The importance of layer-on-layer protection
• What to look for in the CE marking of PPE
• How Tranemo clothing is applied in practice
Sharing knowledge and making connections
The Safety Academies are not only educational but also valuable opportunities to meet and exchange experiences. Participants from different sectors come together to share stories and insights, leading to interesting discussions from which we at Tranemo also learn.
Feedback has been very positive. “Clear explanation of the standards without getting too complicated,” one participant said. Another added: “Exactly the right level of depth on the technical side of the products.”
“The subject of standards and testing methods can be quite heavy,” Wilmar admits. “We want to make sure it is understandable and practical.”
Keep learning, keep improving
Safety never stands still, and neither do we. Regulations are constantly changing, which is why we continue to invest in knowledge and training. The Tranemo Safety Academy grows alongside the needs of our customers and developments in the market.
Because at Tranemo, we believe that safety starts with knowledge. And with the right knowledge, we can prevent injuries together.
Want to know more?
Would your organisation like to host a Safety Academy on-site? Please contact us by email or through one of our sales representatives.