Generally speaking, workwear is a type of clothing that should be worn for work, especially for the one that involves manual labour. This is essential in order to ensure a safe work environment and one that can keep employees safe and sound. Now, when it comes to choosing the right type of workwear, professionals state that there are some factors to take into account before making any decision. For example, people who are required to use their physical force should use special type of workwear in order to keep them safe. In other words, safety should be a major concern, especially when working with power tools in order to cut some heavy-duty materials or when working with weighty machinery.
In order to make the right choice, one should choose safety clothing and equipment by evaluating the work-related risks. They should ask themselves what are the potential dangers of the work they are doing and what are the consequences of not protecting themselves the proper way. Once they do that, choosing the right type of work clothes in order to reduce the identified risks would be a piece of cake.
All of this can lead to the term PPE which stands for Personal Protective Equipment the purpose of which is to protect the employee's health and to reduce the hazards at work. Ear defenders, safety helmets, high visibility clothing, safety harnesses, safety footwear and gloves are some of the most popular types of work clothes that fall into the PPE category. The chosen ones should mainly depend on one's personal needs and work requirements. But just like choosing for regular clothes, picking the right protective workwear should fit one's size, body type and type of work. For instance, hands and feet should be protected from falling materials, the skin should be protected from encountering some dangerous materials, the eyes should be protected from corrosive liquids and shards of materials while the lungs should be well-protected from breathing in pollutants. So, when it comes to choosing the right workwear, you must be sure that the chosen one is PPE compliant (if needed).
Since high visibility clothes fall into the safety workwear category, let's say a few words about them. HVSA stands for high visibility safety apparel and one of the most commonly used ones are coveralls, vests, bibs and pants with high visibility straps. According to the law, these types of workwear are mandatory for people in order to improve their safety. But more importantly, they are important for improving how well other people see them especially when on the road. Usually, such clothes are worn to alert drivers and other vehicle operators especially in dark conditions or in low light. Except for clothes, high-visibility headwear can also be worn in order to increase one's visibility in situations when the body can be obscured by construction materials, trees, traffic barriers, etc.
When it comes to choosing the right ones, the first and most important thing to take into account is considering the sizes. Choosing the right fit is paramount in order to feel comfortable when wearing high visibility safety apparel. Now, when it comes to the colour there are some rules to be followed in order to increase the apparel visibility.
Generally speaking, whether you are a gardener, construction worker, electrician or mechanic, having the following types of workwear is a must:
Except for the aforementioned types of workwear, wearing the right shirts and work jackets is also essentials. For example, mechanics should wear longer shirts which should be made from a breathable material like cotton. Gardeners and other workers who require to kneel when working should invest in knee pads in order to prevent stones and sticks from digging into their skin, but also to prevent wear and tear of pants/trousers.
Now, when it comes to choosing safety shoes, the minimum safety standard is the shoes to have an impenetrable sole, shoes or boots with an upper steel toe-cap. For example, regular safety boots are required for heavy-duty work, light and low cut leather safety shoes are needed for a job that involves climbing, high-performance rubber safety wellingtons are great for protecting a person against harsh substances, fluids and chemicals, while the use of metatarsal safety shoes with a protective plate that covers the metatarsal part of the foot is needed for extremely heavy duty and machinery work. Since there are lots of safety footwear to choose from, the ones you choose should mainly depend on nature of the work, how long you'll be wearing them and how often. For instance:
In order to make the right choice, one should choose safety clothing and equipment by evaluating the work-related risks. They should ask themselves what are the potential dangers of the work they are doing and what are the consequences of not protecting themselves the proper way. Once they do that, choosing the right type of work clothes in order to reduce the identified risks would be a piece of cake.
All of this can lead to the term PPE which stands for Personal Protective Equipment the purpose of which is to protect the employee's health and to reduce the hazards at work. Ear defenders, safety helmets, high visibility clothing, safety harnesses, safety footwear and gloves are some of the most popular types of work clothes that fall into the PPE category. The chosen ones should mainly depend on one's personal needs and work requirements. But just like choosing for regular clothes, picking the right protective workwear should fit one's size, body type and type of work. For instance, hands and feet should be protected from falling materials, the skin should be protected from encountering some dangerous materials, the eyes should be protected from corrosive liquids and shards of materials while the lungs should be well-protected from breathing in pollutants. So, when it comes to choosing the right workwear, you must be sure that the chosen one is PPE compliant (if needed).
Since high visibility clothes fall into the safety workwear category, let's say a few words about them. HVSA stands for high visibility safety apparel and one of the most commonly used ones are coveralls, vests, bibs and pants with high visibility straps. According to the law, these types of workwear are mandatory for people in order to improve their safety. But more importantly, they are important for improving how well other people see them especially when on the road. Usually, such clothes are worn to alert drivers and other vehicle operators especially in dark conditions or in low light. Except for clothes, high-visibility headwear can also be worn in order to increase one's visibility in situations when the body can be obscured by construction materials, trees, traffic barriers, etc.
When it comes to choosing the right ones, the first and most important thing to take into account is considering the sizes. Choosing the right fit is paramount in order to feel comfortable when wearing high visibility safety apparel. Now, when it comes to the colour there are some rules to be followed in order to increase the apparel visibility.
- Low light conditions require wearing fluorescent colours and choosing reflective materials as they are more effective than bright colours under low light.
- Daylight conditions require the use of bright colours as they are more visible than dull colours.
- Worksites and dark conditions require the use of retro-reflective materials as they provide more visibility in such conditions.
Generally speaking, whether you are a gardener, construction worker, electrician or mechanic, having the following types of workwear is a must:
- Helmets are a essential for protecting the head from injuries
- Earmuffs or earplugs are ideal for reducing the noise coming from machinery
- Eye protection like workwear safety glasses are needed especially when grinding, cutting, welding or nailing.
- Gloves are a must for protecting the hands when working with heavy-duty items.
- The right type of boots or shoes in order to reduce the risk of trips, slips and falls that can cause severe injuries.
Except for the aforementioned types of workwear, wearing the right shirts and work jackets is also essentials. For example, mechanics should wear longer shirts which should be made from a breathable material like cotton. Gardeners and other workers who require to kneel when working should invest in knee pads in order to prevent stones and sticks from digging into their skin, but also to prevent wear and tear of pants/trousers.
Now, when it comes to choosing safety shoes, the minimum safety standard is the shoes to have an impenetrable sole, shoes or boots with an upper steel toe-cap. For example, regular safety boots are required for heavy-duty work, light and low cut leather safety shoes are needed for a job that involves climbing, high-performance rubber safety wellingtons are great for protecting a person against harsh substances, fluids and chemicals, while the use of metatarsal safety shoes with a protective plate that covers the metatarsal part of the foot is needed for extremely heavy duty and machinery work. Since there are lots of safety footwear to choose from, the ones you choose should mainly depend on nature of the work, how long you'll be wearing them and how often. For instance:
- Construction workers should choose durable safety work boots in order to protect them from heavy materials and some other risks located on-site.
- Electricians should opt for safety boots or shoes that have a composite toe.
- Mechanics should pick a durable, oil and slip-resistant type of shoes/boots. Such shoes should also have a sturdy sole which is ideal for the garage working environment.
- Gardeners should choose shoes/boots with a steel toe cap.
Comments
Post a Comment