Honeywell, which manufactures personal protective equipment (PPE), fire alarm systems, and other products, has opened a $3 million facility to demonstrate their safety products and systems and train people to use them.

Learn more about this unique approach to employee protection.

Honeywell Life Safety President Mark Levy says the company chose Houston because of its concentration of global oil and gas, energy, and industrial companies. The new facility, known as the Life Safety Training and Customer Experience Center (CEC), will be a source for hands-on education.

The 10,000-square-foot site showcases Honeywell Life Safety products, including fall protection harnesses, hard hats, self-contained breathing apparatuses, portable gas detection equipment, and products for gas, fire, and smoke detection. It features nine simulators that replicate industry applications and potentially hazardous environments. Among these are a simulated catwalk and pipe track, climbing pole, confined tank, drilling tower, and ladder rescue simulator.

By using the simulators, visitors to the center can learn about and test products appropriate to various hazardous situations in scenarios that aim to give a sense of how equipment would function in the work environment. For example, a confined space simulator allows trainers to perform entry and rescue operations under simulated hazardous conditions that would be likely to occur in its real-world equivalent: flashing lights, smoke, chaotic noise, and more.

With more than 4,000 fatal work injuries in the United States in 2012 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ensuring that employees have appropriate PPE for their tasks—and use it correctly and consistently—is crucial. According to Levy, “Honeywell recognizes the urgent need for heightened safety equipment and training to ensure worker safety improves.” He continued, “Honeywell will leverage the CEC and training facility to educate workers on how to be safe in the workplace, even when the environment is not.”