Why wear appropriate protective clothing and gloves?

Many sectors of activity in France are today forced to make their workers wear appropriate work clothes. This regulation is mainly applied to professionals in the construction industry, road transport, health, catering and industry.

This equipment has been designed to meet the needs and requirements of workers and their profession. This is also why the manufacturers have made sure to adapt the patterns and materials used in the manufacture of this PPE to the morphology of the wearer to ensure comfort and safety.

The role of protective clothing

The primary role of workwear is to protect the employee from getting dirty. Today, it provides a higher level of protection against the various dangers to which workers are exposed, such as health risks, thermal risks, etc. There are even appropriate categories and standards for each trade.

The work clothes or clothing PPE are subject to CE standards and must meet:

• Standard NF EN 340: which governs all the general requirements for protective clothing;
• Standard NF EN 343: which concerns the protection of workers against bad weather;
• Standard NF EN 470: for protective clothing used for welding;
• NF EN 471 standard: intended for high-visibility work clothing.< /li>

The role of work gloves

The work gloves protect the hands of employees from the various risks to which they are exhibited.

There are several types of work gloves. Some models have the capacity to cover the hands up to the forearms and arms, protecting all this covered part from the risks inherent in the trade. With the exception of medical gloves, these accessories are part of the PPE that each worker must wear during the performance of their task.

The work gloves for handling protect you from the risks of abrasion and crushing. There are also protective gloves for chemical risks and bacteria intended for laboratory technicians or health professionals.

Thermal protective gloves are ideal for preventing the risks associated with intense heat and cold. For those who use vibrating machines such as chainsaws, you will find on the market anti-vibration gloves specially designed for handling these devices. The role of the gloves is therefore to reduce the effects of vibration that occur on the hands, elbows and wrists.

Protective Clothing and Gloves Safety Notice

There are safety notices or "S phrases" accompanied by codes that European countries use to reinforce the safety standards for clothing and protective gloves. The latest revision of "S phrases" was made on August 6, 2001 according to Directive 2001/59/EC.

These notices describe the precautions you should take when handling incompatible materials that come into contact with your skin. They are described after classifying the chemicals according to the risks they present.

Sentences S1, S2 and S3 on the safety notice announce, for example, the storage of chemical substances and protections under lock and key, out of the reach of children and protected from humidity.

Sentence S7 requires that a container with hazardous substances must be destroyed at a hazardous waste collection point. Sentence S37 requires that the handling of these products requires the wearing of adequate gloves.

Sentence S36 indicates the wearing of suitable protective clothing. This is mandatory when the worker is called upon to handle very toxic, poisonous or harmful substances and preparations.

The safety notice in sentence S39 suggests wearing eye protection< /a> and face.