Julie Brooks outlines the key steps involved in the
procurement of protective clothing for the workforce
Julie Brooks outlines the key steps involved in the
procurement of protective clothing for the workforce
When Barry arrived for work
on Wednesday morning he
didn't expect to finish his day
in A&E. It had all started as usual but the
explosion had sent a ball of flame across
the workshop and he only had moments
to run for cover. As he reached the
assembly point Barry's back felt very hot
and one of his colleagues pointed out the
scorch marks on the back of his coverall.
Later, as he chatted to the nurse in
hospital, he explained how the protective
garment had saved him from much more
life threatening injuries.
It isn't always possible to work in a
completely safe environment. Although
employers will do all they can to minimise
the risk of injuries, no workplace is
completely safe, and new dangers emerge
all the time. For many of us, when we go
to work we put on our outfit of choice.
However, for many workforces protective
clothing is required.
Clothing decisions
When considering what should be worn
in the workplace, companies or
individuals will often start with a risk
assessment carried out by their own
health & safety professionals or an outside
consultant. A large amount of research
will be undertaken and, often, workers
themselves will be consulted on their
requirements or asked to take part in
trials. The results of such investigations
are usually used to specify what standard
of clothing is needed, for example antistatic,
electric arc or standard fire
retardant.
Once the risk to employees within a
particular work setting has been
established, purchasers looking into the
supply of garments can then be faced with
a multitude of options: from chemically
treated fabrics with a limited life span to
those that are inherently flame-retardant.
Corporate identity must often be
considered too, which can affect the
garment style and colour choices.
A matter of trust
Protective clothing is fundamentally a
matter of trust. When professionals put on
specialist workwear, they trust the
garment manufacturer with their safety.
It's therefore vital that certification is
provided with the clothes to prove that
they meet the strict EU and international
standards.
An example of this is EN ISO
11612:2008 ? clothing to protect against
heat and flame. This particular standard
places demands not only on the fabric of a
garment, but also its design. An 'in use'
illustration of EN ISO 11612:2008 in
action would be two items of clothing
being worn together to provide both
mechanical strength and heat resistance,
therefore meeting the specified level of
protection.
Performance and value
They may not be front of mind when it
comes to high level protective clothing,
but design and comfort have a huge part
to play. Some material can be incredibly
heavy in order to give it specialist
properties, and this can cause problems if
it leads to heat exhaustion or the wearer
opens the clothing during use, thereby
negating the protection it provides. The
emphasis then is on finding either an offthe-
shelf or bespoke product that fits all
requirements, while remaining practical
and cost effective.
One of the biggest challenges when
buying workwear is finding suppliers
prepared to offer the very best garments,
while meeting cost requirements and
availability. In such a challenging
economic environment, many suppliers
have reduced their inventories and are
reluctant to hold large stock, so they'll
often only select partner manufacturers
that can ensure continuity of supply and
low prices. This can cause problems, as
manufacturers may introduce reductions
in garment performance or fit, in order to
keep costs low and stocked by suppliers.
The best manufacturing brands will
ensure that their garments are great value,
while still giving high performance and
durability.
It's worth noting that in a litigious
society, larger companies using PPE are
considering the price of personal injury
law suits ? both monetary and
reputational ? against that of the extra
cost of supplying the best possible
workwear options for their workforce.
Effective workwear is one of the most
cost-effective ways to protect a workforce.
Not only does it provide a physical guard
against hazards, it also works to make
employees feel part of a brand with a clear
identity and a focus on safety.
Julie Brooks is national sales manager at
Kwintet
