This section details particular guidance for the use of protective clothing worn on the body including high visibility clothing and clothing to prevent drowning and should be read in conjunction with the general information in 11.1 - Policy and Responsibilities.

Protective clothing must offer some specific protection – if it does not, it is classified as work wear.

Types of General Protective Clothing

Separates - Jackets, trousers that cover only part of the body as well as trousers for leg protection there are also knee pads and gaiters.

Aprons - Aprons only cover part of the body.

Overalls, coveralls, and body suits - These cover the whole body.

Hard fibre or metal guards will help protect against some impacts.

Key Points

Key points to note for personal protective equipment:

• Store used and contaminated clothing separately from clean clothing.
• Select protective clothing carefully for chemical resistance and protection, especially against mixtures.
• Do not use protective clothing for longer than the recommended breakthrough times. Manufacturers will advise on breakthrough times for their products.
• Clean clothing according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For some chemical suits, hygienic cleaning may be possible but often this type of clothing cannot be effectively cleaned.
• Inspect for wear and tear, loose seams, and surface damage before use.
• Do not wear loose protective clothing near moving machinery in case it gets caught in the machinery.

Processes and Activities

The following are examples of the sorts of processes and activities that require protective clothing for the body:

• laboratory work or work with chemicals, dust, or other hazardous substances;
• construction and outdoor work;
• work in cold stores;
• forestry work using chainsaws;
• highway and road works;
• spraying pesticides;
• food processing;
• welding;
• foundry work and molten metal processes;

this is not an exhaustive list.

Selection of Protective Clothing

Working with chemicals and hazardous substances, Low risk chemicals:

• Handling small quantities of low-risk chemicals may only require aprons protective against accidental splashes;
• chemical-resistant clothing, coveralls, and laboratory coats made from uncoated cotton or synthetic material such as nylon or Terylene with a water repellent finish.

Strong solvents, oils, and greases:

• Larger quantities of chemicals or risk of contact with sprays or jets of chemicals are likely to require protective coats/trousers or coveralls.
• coats, overalls, and aprons made from neoprene or polyurethane coated nylon, or Terylene or rubber aprons.

Fibres and dust:

• suits made from bonded olefin forms a dense shield which keeps out fibres and particles.

Thermal and weather protection, cold from Working Outside or in a Cold/Freezer Area:

• Use clothing made of thick or padded material or multi-layered leather or fabric or thermal insulating fabrics.

Keeping dry when Working Outside in the Rain or Using Water Sprays for Cleaning:

• Use rubbers, plastics, water repellent coatings, waterproof and breathable fabrics;
• jackets, trousers, and leggings made with PVC coated nylon or cotton will offer protection against rain, also resistant to abrasions, cracking, and tearing, and will protect against most oils, chemicals, and acids;
• ‘breathable’ water-proof fabrics (‘Gore-Tex’) will keep out water while allowing body perspiration to escape;
• waxed cotton will also protect against rain.

Radiant Heat and Flame from Welding, Metalworking, and Foundries:

• Use suitable flame-retardant, insulating, and heat retardant fabrics.

Keeping cool:

• cotton or cotton and polyester coveralls with flame-retardant finishes are available to protect against sparks and flame.

Working with food:

• use food quality overalls and coveralls will protect against splashes from oils and fats.

Cuts and Hazards Working with Knives, Machinery, etc.:

• Use clothing made of thick or padded material or multi-layers reinforced fabric, aramid fibres, for example, body armour material or chain mail.

Chainsaw Protective Clothing:

• legwear is available with all-round protection or with protection only for the front of the legs;
• the leg wear with all-round protection offers the greatest protection for users;
• jackets and gloves are also available with inserts of chainsaw-resistant materials at vulnerable points.

Electrostatic Hazards:

• Where clothing is to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres clothing should be selected that has been shown to resist the build-up of static electricity.

Types of High-Visibility Clothing

There are three classes of high-visibility clothing. Each has minimum areas for the background and retroflective bands:

Class 1 - The least conspicuous (waistcoats and most trousers).

Class 2 - More conspicuous than Class 1 (waistcoats, jackets, and some trousers).

Class 3 - The most conspicuous (jackets and overalls).

Use of High Visibility Clothing

• Some industries specify a background colour, for example, orange is used as a background colour for railway work as specified inn Railway Group Standard GO/RT3279.
• Some industries specify the type of clothing required. The Code of Practice to the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 as modified in 2002 requires Class 2 or 3 waistcoats or jackets for road work. Class 3 jackets with full-length sleeves should be worn on dual carriageway roads with a speed limit of 50 mph or more.

Key points to note for high visibility clothing

• Select high visibility clothing suitable for the task being undertaken. Clothing that protects a person from other hazards such as cold weather is often available with a high visibility option. Outdoor workers may need different clothing at different times of year.
• Inspect clothing for wear and tear, or loose seams before it is used.
• Ensure that only the correct cleaning materials are used on the high visibility clothing. Loss of cleanliness is a significant factor in the loss of visibility.

Where work is carried out on or adjacent to a highway open to traffic, staff shall at all times wear high visibility warning clothing complying with BS EN 471. Clothing shall be Class 2 or 3 (Class 3 on motorways or other high speed roads).

In addition on motorways or other high-speed roads full-length sleeves shall be provided for coveralls and jackets. The colour of the clothing shall normally be “fluorescent yellow” or “fluorescent orange-red”. The retro-reflective material used shall be to Class 2. 

Road Safety Cycle Training

Where cycle training is carried out in good daylight conditions, the use of other high visibility waistcoats which are authorised by the Traffic and Safety Group Manager will be acceptable.

Buoyancy Aids, Life Jackets, and Immersion Suits

Life jackets or buoyancy aids should be worn where there is a foreseeable risk of drowning when working on or near water.

Life Jacket:

• personal safety device which, when fully inflated (if inflatable), will provide sufficient buoyancy to turn and support even an unconscious person's face upwards within five seconds (ten seconds if automatically inflated);
• the person’s head will be supported with the mouth and nose well clear of the water.

Some people are reluctant to wear life jackets as they find them bulky and restrictive. However, either an automatically inflatable life-jacket or a type which is inflated by a manual pull-cord should overcome these problems. These are usually compact and allow for a full range of movement.

Buoyancy Aids:

• are worn to provide extra buoyancy to assist a conscious person in keeping afloat. However, they will not turn over an unconscious person from a face-down position.

Key points to note about life jacket/buoyancy aids:

It is important to consider all relevant factors when selecting suitable equipment:

• Body size;
• The weight of the person using it;
• The water and weather conditions;
• The likely rescue time/recovery time;
• The need for accessories - body harness and line, gloves, etc.

Equipment must be repaired at regular intervals:

• Check for wear, tear, and damage;
• Check the inflation mechanism regularly as it may fail to operate if it is subject to rough handling or incorrect storage;
• Check the seals on the immersion suit are intact

Equipment should be repaired or discarded if damaged.