Autumn / winter work outfits

Fall / winter work outfits

The workwear meets specific criteria according to the activities in which the wearer usually engages. The main characteristics that it must have relate to the level of safety and comfort. For special autumn/winter work clothes, the first function is to ensure the user optimal safety in an environment where the climatic conditions are particularly harsh.

How to dress and choose the right outfit to go to work in autumn/winter?

Several elements must be taken into account, knowing that work clothing must display a good level of comfort while allowing great freedom of movement. Stretching, kneeling, bending, raising your arms… these are the movements that must generally be allowed without any obstacle getting in the way. Essential accessories, such as an elastic waistband or pants with knee pads, vary depending on the nature of the work.

Among the points to be analyzed, we distinguish the workstation, i.e. the environment (indoor or outdoor) and the type of activity. Indeed, the appropriate autumn/winter outfit will be different for a person working in the field of road maintenance and a house painter. The clothing recommended for the first must, in addition to keeping the worker dry and warm, allow good visibility thanks to a fluorescent fabric and/or a retro-reflective material. The appropriate clothing for the painter must be perfectly waterproof and flexible, while offering increased protection against the cold.

Standards in force for work

A good autumn/winter work outfit displays optimal comfort and a high level of breathability. As a result, the materials used as well as the manufacturing process (especially at the seams) must allow the evacuation of perspiration and humidity while ensuring increased waterproofing. This type of clothing is subject to several standards (EN 342 or EN 343) which guarantee a high level of protection against wind, cold (temperature below -5°C) and bad weather.

This certification is represented by a pictogram in the shape of an umbrella and water drops. It indicates that the autumn/winter work clothes have undergone specific tests to guarantee a good level of comfort in all circumstances, whether it is windy, raining or snowing, for example. Two types of performance should be taken into account:

• X indicates the level of watertightness of the workwear, i.e. its degree of resistance to water penetration
• Y lets you know its level of breathability, i.e. the degree of evaporative resistance

These two points are accompanied by a number ranging from 1 to 3. Work clothes classified 1 thus display less evaporative resistance and a lower level of waterproofing. To enjoy a quality outfit, it is therefore recommended to opt for one belonging to class 3.

The EN 343 standard is generally associated with the EN ISO 20471 certification. The latter concerns the level of visibility of the user from all angles of observation, day and night, in the rain, in the fog or in the snow. Two points should be taken into account:

• Classified from 1 to 3, the indication X concerns the extent of the surface, the retro-reflective material and the fluorescent fabric
• Class 1 or 2, the symbol Y indicates the level of retro-reflection coefficient of the material

Other tests make it possible to know the resistance of the materials that make up the resistance against traction (100 Newtons) and tears (25 Newtons).

What protection against cold and bad weather?

Rain clothing, jackets, parkas or work fleeces, regardless of the type of outfit , there is no ideal model. In short, the choice depends on everyone's tastes, but also on the type of activity in which the worker engages. For example, a plumber or electrician will prefer outfits with multiple pockets to store tools and other spare parts.