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Protective workwear
When companies equip their employees with new protective workwear, decision-makers need to consider a number of criteria that go far beyond service life and useful life. The central question that companies and, ultimately, technical distributors have to ask themselves is: How can you recognise high-quality protective workwear?
Of course, protective workwear must first and foremost fulfil the relevant standards and offer reliable protection. However, the needs of the wearer are also becoming increasingly important. Companies want to offer their employees clothing that is comfortable and functional so that it is worn properly.
But a modern design is also becoming increasingly important. After all, if employees feel comfortable in their protective workwear, this contributes to their performance and helps them identify with their employer. Technical retailers who know how to recognise high-quality clothing have a clear advantage here. This is because you can offer your customers a high level of advisory expertise. An overview of what is important.
These are the requirements for high-quality protective workwear
No matter how large a company is, purchasing new protective workwear is always an important and complex decision. After all, every employer wants an economical protective clothing solution that offers reliable protection against the specific hazards of everyday working life.
There are several important selection criteria for companies when it comes to PPE:
- The longest possible durability of protective workwear and good availability are important criteria for companies.
- However, the needs of the wearer are also becoming increasingly important: The functions of the PPE must fulfil the job-specific requirements, but at the same time it must also offer a high level of comfort so that it is worn regularly and properly.
- Employees and employers are also increasingly focussing on modern design. High-quality protective workwear must fulfil all of these requirements.
Pay attention to the standards!
While the manufacturers themselves define and check the quality criteria for wearing comfort, functionality, washability, availability and design, there are standardised specifications for clothing in the area of occupational safety. If a manufacturer wants to sell PPE, its product must fulfil the minimum requirements of the standards.
In the case of protective workwear in categories two for medium risks and three for high risks, testing by an independent testing institute is required. However, there are differences here too, as some manufacturers focus on protective functions that go beyond those required by the standard. What this looks like in practice can be explained using the example of high-visibility clothing. This is used wherever employees run the risk of being overlooked - for example in road construction. The relevant standard EN ISO 20471 specifies a number of design requirements, such as the possible positions of reflective strips.
The material determines the quality
The material quality is also a decisive factor for the overall product quality. When selecting materials, manufacturers pay attention to various criteria, including the long-term availability of the fabrics. Material research also focuses on the properties of the possible fabrics, which are decisive for the service life and useful life of the protective workwear. Manufacturers first weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of the various materials that are shortlisted for the production of an item of clothing.
The classic example: the decision between cotton and polyester. Cotton is generally more comfortable to wear, while polyester is more suitable for heavy mechanical wear. Synthetic fibres are also more suitable in terms of washability - especially in industrial laundry - as they are particularly resistant to high chemical and mechanical stress.
Design takes centre stage
In addition to the technical product features, manufacturers also have to decide on a design - a point that is often underestimated in the field of protective workwear. Today, the fashion aspect of protective clothing has clearly moved to the forefront and is often the decisive purchasing criterion. Many companies place increased value on a "corporate design", i.e. their own external appearance, which also includes standardised employee clothing. In order to take account of this trend towards uniformity, manufacturers are focussing on a cross-collection design, for example. This has the advantage for technical retailers that they can offer protective workwear for men and women that fulfils the desire of many companies for uniformity - even in different areas of application.