While productivity often takes center stage in a workplace, the need for health and safety can’t be overstated. Over the past few decades, a push for standardized health and safety requirements and stronger regulations have led to better conditions in the workplace, leading to fewer accidents and a safer and more productive workforce. Although safety measures may take up time, that time is nothing compared to the issues that accidents can cause. Businesses lose significant sums of money due to employees getting injured or killed on worksites, and it’s this reason that safety workwear is so important.
Most workplaces now require safety gear to be worn as standard, and there are a few essential pieces of kit that you should never be without. In this article, we’ll look at the most important safety workwear that you can have.
Hard Hats
The hard hat is a quintessential piece of safety gear and one that is instantly recognisable at worksites all over the world. Head protection is incredibly important, as head injuries can be fatal or have life changing consequences. Although the skull protects us from impacts, it’s not enough to save us from serious blows. When dealing with heavy machinery or building sites with verticality, the hard hat is an essential item, and most health and safety regulations require them by law in certain areas.
You can tell if a hard hat is required, as signs will be used to remind workers to wear it at all times. Wearing one could mean the difference between life and death, as it provides a layer of protection to the head in case of impacts, particularly from falling objects. The original hard hats were often made from steamed canvas and glue, but today’s designs are constructed from lightweight, yet highly durable composite materials.
Protective Trousers
One often overlooked piece of safety workwear, trousers are certainly not something you’d want to leave the house without. Although denim jeans were originally used as workwear, there are much better alternatives now available. The right trousers should offer safety and durability while also being comfortable to ensure you can work as long as you need to without any distractions or worrying about being too hot or too cold.
The type of work trousers you need will often depend on the conditions you’re working in and the type of work you’re doing. For example, a chef and a steel factory worker will have very different clothing requirements. Ultimately though, the fabric should be breathable yet hard wearing and protect against scratches and scrapes. If you’re working outdoors, you should consider whether waterproof trousers will be needed. The British weather is always fairly unpredictable, but lots of rain is almost always guaranteed throughout the year.
High Visibility Workwear
One crucial aspect of safety workwear in many workplaces is that it should be highly visible. If you’re working in low light conditions or around people operating vehicles and heavy machinery, it’s incredibly important to be easy to see at all times. Vests, jackets and even trousers can use bright, fluorescent colours and reflective bands to ensure that you’re always seen while working. In many places, reflective workwear is required by regulations, so you should always check this before deciding on your workwear.
