Wearing the right clothing in the workplace is not only vital where PPE or safety workwear is concerned; it is also an excellent way to properly care for your workforce, give customers the best impression of your business and make your team instantly recognisable.
At Contego Safety Solutions, we provide a wide range of workwear clothing to suit various working environments and purposes, from protective workwear, to uniforms that give a professional appearance, including corporate workwear, practical workwear, outerwear and leisurewear.
In addition to safety and corporate image reasons, it is important that employers provide workwear that enables staff to comfortably carry out their work.For example, it might need to be waterproof, cold resistant, or flexible.
By not providing the correct workwear, employers not only run the risk of work not being done properly, but it can damage their reputation as an employer and even lead to legal action.
Workwear should be made from quality fabrics and cut in a style to ensure staff are safe, comfortable and smart, and can also be branded using embroidery or printing techniques.
Here we look further into choosing the right workwear, explore the industry standards that govern it and discuss the best ways to create customised company workwear.
Choosing the right work clothing
When purchasing workwear for safety purposes, it is important to carry out a risk assessment. This will give you an idea of what the hazards are which you need to protect your workforce against. It means you will also be able to ensure you are following any applicable industry standards and regulations.
If workwear needs to be branded, then you may find it useful to create a set of brand guidelines, which will ensure your workwear is consistent with your company brand.
Where safety workwear is needed for protection, it is governed by two main industry standards: EN 342:2017 (for workwear that protects against the cold) and EN 343:2019 (for workwear which protects against wet weather).
Our Guide to Workwear Clothing provides detailed information on what is required to meet both of these safety workwear clothing standards.
Looking after your workwear
In order to get the maximum protective performance from your workwear and ensure it meets the necessary standards, as well as enhancing your company brand and reputation, it must be worn correctly, kept clean and stored in a dry and well-ventilated space. It should also be cared for according to the washing instructions inside the garment.
The workwear clothing that you choose should also fit well and be comfortable, to ensure employees look and feel professional.
Workwear clothing is available in a range of sizes, so, when choosing yours, it is recommended that you refer to a workwear size guide – see our Guide to Workwear Clothing for more details.
Embroidered workwear and printed workwear
Many businesses choose to customise their workwear clothing, with either embroidered branding or printed branding, which helps to create a professional image. Some workwear clothing can be customised using either method but not all. Make sure you select workwear which allows the method of branding you require.
Embroidered branding is not recommended for company outerwear as this process may compromise the waterproof integrity of the garment, whereas printed branding would not survive certain treatments, such as frequent washing or harsh conditions, and would need to be replaced more often.
Printed workwear is the more cost-effective option for workwear branding, however, embroidered workwear is popular because it is more long lasting.
Help and support with your workwear choices
It is important for employees to be provided with appropriate workwear clothing for many reasons, but if you need advice and assistance to select the best options for your workforce, get in touch with our team of experts.
Contego Safety Solutions stocks a wide range of corporate workwear, protective clothing and PPE, including our WEARMASTER® range. We also provide a bespoke uniform design and manufacturing service to ensure that you get precisely what you are looking for in a company uniform.
The friendly and expert team at Contego Safety Solutions is always on hand to give advice and guidance on the right PPE and protective clothing for your needs. Contact us now on 0800 122 3323 or sales@contegosafety.co.uk to discuss your requirements.
