The clocks have gone back, the autumn gales have arrived (some may argue they never went away) and any sensible bird has flown south. Unfortunately those in the vehicle recovery game don't have the same luxury of escaping the worst of winter weather like migratory birds. Instead there's the prospect of working outside in long hours of darkness, in cold, wet, freezing weather... well someone has to do it! What's more, the elements can be kept at bay- and you can be made safer as you go about your business in the gloom- by ensuring that you are fitted up in the appropriate clothing for the job .So what should the "best dressed" recovery operative be seen in this winter? Here's a run down on the work clothing that will ensure you can be seen while you work and are kept comfortable, warm and dry...whatever the elements throw at you.
One innovation coming onto the market from Holland is in the form of products that are designed to make you look more like a human and less like a traffic cone, addressing, perhaps, not only a safety matter but making for more stylish work clothing. As many - or perhaps most?- of you know EN 471 is the European Norm governing high visibility clothing ( more on this below); this standard has been deemed by the Dutch as not offering sufficient protection in the area of “stand-out”. They are now looking for garments which offer even greater protection at night by requiring them to have high visibility reflective strips that outline the shape of the wearer thereby making them clearly human, picking up on the wearer’s movements … and thus distinguishing them from any static traffic cones that might be around!
There is a whole new generation of high visibility clothing coming onto the market that follows this approach. We are starting to see more and more garments available with broken up reflective tape and reflective tape shaped as chevrons (not straight lines). This presents the safety conscious roadside recovery company with many new options to not only be safer, but also to separate your company from the rest as being at the forefront of new look, eye-catching ( in more ways than one) roadside work clothing.
Back now to EN 471 as promised! You’ll already know that high visibility protective clothing is designed to make you as visible as possible both day and night. Under the EN 471 standard a rating has to be provided for both the day time and night time visibility of garments and you can check that the garments you have match your safety requirements by looking at the label.
All high visibility garments should have this symbol on the label. The first number (X) relates to the background fabric (usually yellow or orange) and ranges from class 1 (lowest level that conforms to EN 471) and class 3 (highest level). The more fluorescent yellow or orange the background fabric on a garment- the higher the rating. The second number (Y) reflects (pun intended) the “retro reflection performance” of the taped strips or “don’t hit me stripes” to you and me. This has 2 classes (1= lowest, 2= highest). Again, the more tape, the better the performance. These standards relate to coveralls, jackets, waistcoats, tabards (yes, tabards!), trousers and harnesses.
Of course, whilst at all times you need to comply to health and safety specifications it’s not always essential or appropriate from a budget perspective to go for the highest level of EN 471 classification. However, the more likely you are to be working in dark, low visibility conditions and/or where there is likely to be traffic racing around you at speed, the more sensible it is to pay for the “best chance of being seen”. Don’t forget also, as already talked about above with the new ideas that have emerged from
Another thing to bear in mind is the effect of aging. Just because a set of jacket and trousers you bought 2 years ago met the correct EN 471standards does not necessarily mean that they do now. A bit of common sense is needed here by both the employer and the employee. When the fluorescent yellow or orange material has dulled after too many washes or the reflective strips are covered in muck, the garment may no longer conform to EN 471 and will need replacing.
It is at this point when buying from high quality recognised brands pays off. As Swedish manufacturer, Fristads state- “twice the wear is twice the value” and nowhere is this more true than with high visibility clothing. Well made high visibility clothing and retro reflective tape should retain their high visibility properties for up to 50 washes- if you’re not getting that lifespan from your existing garments it’s time to trade up.
The image conscious among you will be aware that turning up looking filthy is not the best look. Now, I’m not suggesting that you slap a new outfit after every job, but you can pick jackets, trousers and coveralls which will hide the dirt and retain their high viz properties.
Try and pick garments that have the correct level of reflection for your needs but also hide the dirt in the areas that are the most affected by the rigours of the job. Choice of colour can help here and “good old” Navy Blue is usually the best option for hiding dirt and more often than not it’s your bum and thighs that are the worst affected, so think about choosing a garment that has this colour (or similar) in those areas in particular. The Fristads “PLU” range has been a massive success for roadside recovery operatives for its durable and practical design.
We’ve talked about choosing the proper level of visibility and some of the recent developments “visibility outlines” and, of course, a fundamental role of recovery work clothing is to enable the wearer to be seen. Another is to ensure that they are comfortable whatever the weather throws at them. So, how best to deal with the onset of winters chill? As any arctic explorer would tell you, it’s all about layers. By layering I mean thermal underwear, polo shirt, micro fleece or soft shell jacket and an outer jacket (for example). The advantage of this over, say, a big bulky jacket for a roadside recovery operative is the flexibility… Flexibility in movement when on the job and trying to get into awkward space or position, flexibility also to be as hot or cold as the individual wearer requires. There is also a cost benefit; whilst the initial outlay may be greater the life span of all the garments increases as they’re not worn day in and out.
When looking to purchase items for cold weather always look towards man made fabrics which have wicking properties. This concept will be familiar to those who wear outdoor activity clothing. It is important to wear wicking thermal underwear and polo tops in particular as it moves the body’s moisture (sweat) away from the skin and moves it out through the garments. If you were wearing a cotton polo shirt, for example, this would retain the moisture and get extremely cold and heavy. There is no point purchasing waterproof clothing that doesn’t breathe if you’re doing physical labour as you’ll just get drenched in your own sweat!! Look for breathable membranes such as Gore-Tex and Air-Tech that let sweat out but keep the rain out.
Staying dry and warm are often one and the same thing and with clothing, it’s all about the little things. Look for jackets that have neoprene or elasticated cuffs that’ll stop water running down your arm, or look for trousers that allow you to add a Gore-Tex liner inside.
The cliché is that first impressions lasts and nothing affects those first impressions more than your appearance. A good quality, well maintained uniform ensures an excellent first impression and by going the extra mile, you can separate yourself from the crowd.
There’s never been more options available to roadside recovery operatives with regards to protective clothing and there’s never been a greater need to protect your workforce and yourself. It is just workwear, but remember this… “a new uniform is cheaper than a weeks wages”
Tom Sandford is from the Work Clothing Group, who supply all of the protective clothing discussed in this article to many members of AVRO. You can contact Tom for more information at tom@theworkclothinggroup.com or visit their website to see the range of quality work clothing they offer at www.theworkclothinggroup.com. To go direct to the high visibility page please go to… http://www.performanceworkclothing.co.uk/category/High_Visibility_Workwear
