| A simple definition of Personal Protective Clothing | | | | personal safety garments to increase the ability |
| is any item of clothing, used by people to reduce | | | | for the wearer to be seen. Material used in the |
| their exposure to hazards in the workplace. | | | | design and manufacture of high visibility safety |
| Protective clothing and equipment is available for | | | | garments must be fluorescent and retroflective. |
| almost every part of the body and the type of | | | | Below is a simple guide to the standard: |
| equipment used will depend on the protection that | | | | Class of Garment Class D - For outdoor day use |
| is required. Some common areas which require | | | | only - Uses fluorescent materials - High visibility |
| protection and examples of how that area may | | | | materials must encircle the upper torso - min |
| be protected include: body protection using cotton | | | | visible area of 0.4m2 |
| drill workwear, coveralls, waterproof jackets and | | | | Class N - For night use when viewed under |
| pants, heat proof aprons and hi visibility garments; | | | | retroflective conditions eg: vehicle headlight |
| foot protection using steel capped safety boots, | | | | illumination - Must have 50mm strips of |
| waterproof boots and non slip shoes; and hand | | | | retroflective material complying to class R AS |
| protection using cotton, leather, PVC or nitrile | | | | NZS 1906.4 in specific tape configurations |
| gloves. | | | | Class D/N - For use in day or night, dawn, dusk |
| Body Protection | | | | or in poor weather conditions where there is |
| Sometimes it is easy to forget about using the | | | | illumination from headlights - Must use retroflective |
| appropriate protective clothing but the simple fact | | | | strips and fluorescent material |
| is, that it helps protect from accidents. With | | | | Protective Disposable Clothing |
| Protective Clothing the following important points | | | | The value of protective disposable clothing is |
| need to be addressed: | | | | often dismissed in the argument "why spend |
| - Ensure that the appropriate safety standards | | | | money on items that are going to be thrown |
| are met by your safety clothing | | | | away when I can wash what I already wear". |
| - Ensure that each item of protective clothing is | | | | What companies fail to recognise is the risk of |
| appropriate for each particular workplace hazard | | | | contamination to normal clothing and that |
| - Ensure the clothing fits the individual worker | | | | disposable clothing eliminates this risk, whilst |
| - Provide/obtain training in the appropriate use of | | | | providing all over body protection. |
| protective clothing | | | | Hair, sweat, dust, bacteria, viruses and clothing |
| - Provide/obtain additional training for supervisors | | | | threads may be some of the contaminants you |
| to ensure they understand their role in enforcing | | | | do not want brought into your work place and |
| wearing and use of protective clothing | | | | may contaminate your work environment |
| - Ensure all protective clothing is cleaned and | | | | manufacturing products. Chemicals, aerosols, dusts |
| adequately maintained | | | | and water are some of the contaminants you |
| Hi Visibility Clothing | | | | may wish to prevent coming into contact with |
| There is a wide range of Hi Vis garments available | | | | your physical body. You can more easily control |
| for workers who require visibility within their | | | | the disposal and re-issue of fresh garments and |
| workplace. These range from hi vis vests to hi vis | | | | not worry about collection, washing and cleanliness |
| work shirts, pants and jackets. The selection and | | | | of reusable items. |
| use of High Visibility Garments is governed by the | | | | Disposable protective clothing is generally made |
| High Visibility Safety Garments standard (AS/NZS | | | | from a polypropylene material which is lightweight, |
| 4602:1999) which details the requirements of | | | | durable, soft and economical. |