Protective Clothing
Identifying the Hazards:
The five key principles for ensuring safety in the workplace are
1. Eliminate the risk
2. Minimise or reduce the risk
3. Isolate the risk
4. Bar access to hazard zones
5. Use Personal Protective Equipment
There are strong arguments for attempting to control hazards prior to providing Protective Clothing, which should be used as a last resort.
The most common hazards include
- Limited conspicuity / visibility
- Dust
- Chemical splash
- Gas, vapour, thermal exposure
- Cut / pierce / stab exposure
- Adverse climate conditions
- Radiation
- Abrasion
- Lack of buoyancy
- Anti static – conductive / insulative
- Blunt trauma
To assess the correct form of protective clothing required for a workplace, first undertake an assessment of unavoidable risks. Then determine the protective clothing characteristics necessary to protect the wearer against these risks. Remember to take into consideration any risks generated by the PPE itself.
Types of Protectors Available
There is a wide range of clothing available. Individual protective properties can be combined to provide protection against multiple hazards. Protective materials can be incorporated into a wide range of garments including vests, coveralls, jackets or trousers, aprons, and sleeves. Protective clothing may be permanent and launderable or of limited life and disposable.
Accessories
The wide assortment of accessories are available to compliment the broad range of protective clothing on offer. These range from thermal liners for foul weather clothing and kneepads to gloves which can form an integral part of a chemical splash suit.
Care & Maintenance
Under legislation there is a requirement that certain types of personal protective equipment are maintained in good working order and in a satisfactory, hygienic condition. This can be achieved by means of appropriate storage, maintenance and repair or replacement.
PPE must be thoroughly examined on a regular basis by properly instructed staff, in accordance with supplier and manufacturer instructions, to ensure that it is in good working order before being issued for use to the wearer. The wearer should check the PPE and should not use it if it is defective in any way.
Where there is a risk to persons handling contaminated PPE, appropriate precautions should be taken. An employer should ensure that the use of an item of PPE is confined to one employee, where appropriate.
Corporate Identification
Clothing allows a high degree of customisation to include corporate colours, logos and other identification. Badging can be embroidered, screen printed or applied on reflective patches.
