Workwear has developed itself throughout the years, to better protect workers from various potential accidents or events that could cause them harm. The most common elements of PPE are reinforced shoes and boots, but in this article, we will focus on clothes, namely the work jacket. Protection today is not just a question of choice, but of regulations. Here, you will also find an explanation why protective jackets and other high-visibility clothing are worn in the workplace.
Security in the Workplace
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is no longer suggested on most of the worksites around the world. It is mandatory by law, and dictated through rules and regulations that vary according on the type of construction site or the field/sector you are working in. It includes clothing such as a safety work jacket and overalls, accessories like gloves and safety glasses, as well as protection shoes and boots. They should be worn at all times, when the work you do requests it. Simply put: PPE is there to protect employees, but also the company who employs them, as they could be taken to a court of law if regulations are not respected in their workplace.
Why wear a Work Jacket?
A work jacket may be necessary on the job for various reasons. One of the most obvious is to protect against the wind and bad weather. Certain people have to climb towers or are exposed to nature constantly when at work. They need a robust work jacket that will keep them warm in cold weather and dry when it rains or snows. These types of jackets are often multilayered to ensure them with various types of protection. It is sometimes called the 3-layer principle. It consists of the underwear, a mid-layer and weatherproof clothing, on the outside.
The material used to create work jackets have been especially thought of for the task at hand and where they are located on the jacket. The inside is often made with cotton, which is skin friendly, absorbent and regulates temperatures well. Polyester is the material most used for the exterior of jackets, as it dries quickly and is also good at balancing temperature.
The element of comfort also plays a big part when it comes to work jackets. It may mean that its stretches easily, that it features special pockets or that it has an extended back to keep the protection active, when bending forward, amongst many other qualities.
Reflective Jacket and High Visibility Clothing: How it Works
Workwear clothing, which are meant for an employee to be seen in any circumstances, are made of fluorescent material to which can be added reflective tapes in various shapes. The fluorescent part of the clothes is to be seen during the day and the reflective one, to be seen at night. It is the sun’s ultraviolet rays that makes the fluorescent colours, as if they are glowing. It is even more visible in poor light conditions, including when there is fog.
The reflective materials work by bouncing back the light from where it came from. There are now special retro-reflective materials that work even better than regular ones, as it sends the light right back to the source, without scattering it. In the dark, this could literally save your life.
