Protective workwear is essential for any job that requires safety and protection. It protects workers from harm, increases productivity, comfort, and morale, and can even reduce the cost of insurance premiums. Workwear manufacturers need to deliver on high quality workwear that aligns with industry and government regulations.
What is Protective Workwear?
Personal protective equipment and workwear include any type of clothing that prevents harm for employees while they are at work. This can include heat resistant clothing, welding gear, hazmat suits, static resistant gowns or safety shoes. From head to toe, workwear can provide protection for workers relative to their environments.
This is also important for first responders such as firefighters. They need industry compliant, firefighter turnout gear that enables performance while they battle to save homes and natural habitats.
The Cost of Worker’s Compensation
The average cost of claims for all worker’s compensation claims in the US from 2019 to 2020 was over $41,000. Covering the cost of an injury to a worker, plus downtime caused, will usually far exceed the cost of quality workwear. Furthermore, lawsuits can even put businesses out of commission entirely, if they are not careful.
Aligning With Industry & Government Regulations
For many industries such as oil and gas, metalworking and transportation, there are volumes of industry and government regulations. Entities such as OSHA specify certain standards that each industry must adhere to in order to avoid massive penalties. This includes providing workers with industry certified workwear that will give companies the peace of mind they need. They need to fit correctly and hold up to the harsh conditions of each industry.
For European entities, the EU Regulation 2016/2425 of 9 March 2016 applies. This regulation breaks protective gear into three categories based on their level of protection:
Category I: protection against minor, but not deadly risks
Category II: protection against moderate risks.
Category III: protection against deadly risks such as flame and high voltage.
Protective workwear supplies must be properly marked to specify one of the categories according to CE marking. Workwear manufacturers in the European Union must be aware of these standards so they can design industry certified safety equipment.
Firefighter turnout gear has its own set of regulations to align with. NFPA 1971 specifies the level of protection against thermal, physical, environmental and biohazards that can be present on the job. These codes can be updated every so often, so it’s important to take this into consideration when manufacturing bunker gear.
Regulations can vary based on the industry and locations which means manufacturers will need to be aware of any others that may apply.
Provide Comfort for Workers to Maximize Productivity
Workwear that properly fits the user will not only align with industry regulations, it will increase productivity. When designing protective clothing, it’s also important to keep user comfort in mind. Lightweight designs that can easily adjust to all body types will maximize comfort and performance for workers.
Many industry working environments are already difficult to endure, but it makes matters even worse when protective equipment does not fit well. To improve productivity and morale, companies will choose workwear that easily aligns with body types and movement.
Features of Quality Protective Workwear
Companies will be interested in investing in industrial workwear that protects workers, aligns with certifications and provides comfort and movement. From flame resistant clothing to anti static gowns, you need to make sure you meet all of your customers’ needs. Fortunately, VELCRO® Brand fasteners can help designers meet their goals. These fasteners are available in flame retardant options and can be tested and certified to meet numerous industry standards.
