Protective clothing or clothing is personal protective equipment that can be worn to cover most of the body and not expose oneself to chemical, physical, or biological hazards while performing a task. Differently from the uniform, the protective clothing is PPE; that is, it is regulated by the same rules and regulations as other equipment in the category and must offer a Certificate of Approval. Depending on the model, they are commonly purchased to perform functions in which the employee’s body may be harmed when coming into contact with toxic, electrified, or sensitive material.
Some of the tips for protective clothes are:
- Provide Different Protective Clothing For Different Activities
Each protective or safety suit has a specific use. In other words, if the same employee deals with different situations in which they are at different risks, they need to have adequate personal protective equipment for each one of them. Clothing that protects against gases, liquids, splashes, and particles, for example, is not suitable for protection in contact with electrical networks. Therefore, they must be replaced if the employee changes his role.
The ideal is to work side by side with an occupational safety technician, to map the business environment and understand the risks your employees are running. It will identify situations in which protective clothing is necessary, what material they should be made from and which employees need them.
- Avoid Replacing Clothing With Other PPE
It’s not because one outfit looks like another that they look the same. When purchasing protective equipment, you should know what type of use it is recommended for, what material it is made from, and what level of protection it offers. After all, it is not because one material is similar to another that it has the same function. Failure to verify this can cause significant problems for the professionals in your company.
Chemical protective clothing, for example, has many variations. They range from type 1 to 6, with decreasing protection levels. Although they may be similar in form and function, type 1s even protect against toxic gases, while type 6s can only prevent chemical splashes. Pay attention when choosing an article of protective clothing, and don’t be fooled!