How to care for and maintain hi vis and waterproof workwear
As the winter months appear, your employees will be reaching for their hi vis and waterproof clothing far more often, adding that extra bit of use that can see the fabrics wear down that little bit faster. To avoid having to restock earlier than you would like, ensure you have good policies in place to keep all PPE in good condition so it will protect your employees and maintain regulatory standards.
Storage
After a long day on site, it can be tempting for your employees to simply pull off their hi vis clothing and leave it in a crumpled pile on the floor until they need it the following day. Unfortunately, this will not help prolong the life of their clothing.
If you have the space, allowing staff to store their outerwear at their place of work is ideal. While adding a sense of routine in how the garments are removed and cared for, it will also make it easier to conduct inspections to discover when clothing is need of replacing.
Ask all employees to remove their hi vis and waterproof clothing as soon as they are inside. If they’ve been working in the wet or in close proximity to mud, ask them to brush off or wash any dirty clothing or footwear before storing as dirt and sand can be very detrimental to the longevity of PPE.
Of course, damp is also a concern so ensuring the storage is warm and that items of clothing are allowed enough space and time to dry is another tick in the box. Similarly, allowing hi vis and waterproof garments to be hung up will ensure they are aired and will help them keep their original shape.
Cleaning
It should go without saying that all attire should be cleaned on a regular basis, but it’s surprising how people often don’t apply this to their outerwear. Of course, how often you will need to wash hi vis and waterproof clothing depends largely on the type of work your employees are carrying out so in most cases common sense will be the deciding factor.
When it comes to hi vis clothing, removing stains and dirt is very important as not only can it cover the hi visibility panels on a garment rendering them ineffective, but long exposure to dirt and other materials can degrade the fabric irreversibly. It is therefore important that you instil a nature of cleanliness within your team. Make sure they know how important it is to keep their hi vis clothing clean and up to standards. Similarly, make it easy for them to act on it. Keeping clean and dry cloths and a mild stain remover where the clothing is kept will encourage workers to remove stains as soon as they can, in turn, keeping their clothing up to code.
When the time comes for a deep clean, you have two options. There are plenty of companies who offer professional laundering services and who will collect, wash and deliver your garments on a regular basis. Alternatively, you can ask that employees take responsibility for their own clothing. Luckily, all hi vis clothing must come with clear instructions on the labels. However, a good rule of thumb when washing hi vis or waterproof clothing is to use gentle detergents and to avoid fabric softeners and bleach, as this will protect the reflective tape and waterproof membranes in the fabric.
It’s important to include workers’ boots in the policy as well. Although they might look hardy, a build-up of mud and dirt is just as detrimental to a leather boot. Using a brush to remove dried mud and dust and water to wash the rest away, workers can ensure their boots stay clean and effective. Providing them with leather food and water repellent spray is also a good way of keeping the boots treated and up to standards.
Replacing
Of course, no item of clothing is going to last forever, especially heavily used PPE. Knowing when to replace each garment is an important part of caring for your staff. Luckily, regulations are there to help you know when it’s time to ditch the old in favour of the new.
With hi vis clothing, a garment will be in need of replacing when the overall reflective surface area falls below the minimum area, which are as follows:
If a garment falls below these coverage areas, then it’s time to hang up the garment for good and replace it. Once replaced, it’s also important to remember these figures when workers are wearing the clothes. Even the act of tucking trousers into a pair of boots can reduce the reflective surface area enough for it to fall under the required amount. Similarly, if your company adds logos to its workwear, ensure it does not cover too much of the reflective surface areas or again it will not be up to scratch.
Other signs that an item of clothing is in need of replacing includes, damage beyond repair, it has been stained so heavily that cleaning no longer restores it, or it has simply reached its shelf life, which can be the case with some PPE items.
An important thing to remember when replacing PPE is to look for the CE mark, as this means the garment has been rigorously tested and has been approved for use alongside the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002.
If in doubt, check the HSE for advice and regulations for PPE.
On-hand
When it comes to PPE, there are rarely ifs or buts. If it is required that an employee wears a hi vis vest when conducting his or her job, then there must be one available. With this in mind, it can be helpful to always have back-ups on-hand in case of sudden damage to current clothing.
Add to basket
Here are some useful bits of kit that will allow your workplace to maintain an effective PPE care policy.
Chelsea Leather Food
It’s important to look after leather, especially when it regularly gets wet. Natural oils in the material can be washed out and if they’re not replaced, the leather will crack. Periodically treating your boots with Leather food will rejuvenate the leather and maintain its water-resistant qualities.
PPE METAL STORAGE CABINET, 550X250X750MM
Keep PPE safe and secure but still to hand with this wall mounted storage cabinet with lockable door and interior shelves. Your PPE won't get damaged or broken in this, thanks to the tough metal construction, and it is always visible where wearers can see it easily - reinforcing good practise.
The interior section has a raised lip among the front to prevent items falling out, and this cabinet size will suit several items such as masks, helmets, gloves or a complete PPE kit. Front symbols can be changed on request to suit the application.
Click here to view and purchase this product
COTTON RAGS- 10KG
Useful to keep on-hand for cleaning PPE, these cotton rags are great for use with mild cleansers and stain removers as they are not harsh and won’t cause too much friction with reflective tape, leather boots or waterproof clothing.
https://www.cornishindustrial.co.uk/product-page/cotton-rags-10kg
If you would like more information on caring for your workwear, or you are in need of replacing your current workwear, give us a call on 01726 74264, email us at sales@cisafety.com or take a look at the clothing we offer online atwww.cisafety.com