PPE: PRODUCT FOCUS ELECTRIC POWER TRANSFORMATION SUBSTATION


This is why workplace safety is such a major concern. “The company has two guiding principles,” explains Dr Oliver Polanz, Head of HSEQ (health, safety, environment, quality) at SPIE Germany and Central Europe. “Firstly, optimising workplace health and safety through leadership, good discipline and a culture of change. Secondly, no compromising when it comes to workplace health and safety.”


At SPIE, this also applies to their employees’ workwear: “In situations in which personal protective equipment needs to be worn, it should have an ergonomic fit and be as lightweight as possible,” says Dr Polanz. “Wearer acceptance is incredibly important when it comes to protective clothing. People will only wear it, if they feel comfortable in it.” The fact that SPIE employees are given a say in health and safety issues is evident in the day-to-day workings of the company. The employees had become increasingly dissatisfied with their existing multinorm workwear. It had a poor ergonomic design and did not offer adequate protection in wet weather. Furthermore, it caused excessive sweating during strenuous work because of poor breathability. One of the outcomes was frequent workplace absences due to colds.


LIGHTWEIGHT: INNOVATIVE ARC RATED WATERPROOF GARMENTS


The company set about looking for a replacement for their existing foul weather workwear. They conducted a detailed analysis, held consultations with Iturri, their supplier, did their own market research and discussed the issue with leaders and works council representatives. Ultimately, a decision was made in favour of waterproof workwear equipped with the innovative GORE-TEX PYRAD product technology. This technology is durably waterproof and windproof and thus ideally suited to outdoor work in wind and rain. In addition to the waterproof GORE-TEX membrane, it features two textile layers: the outer fabric with the PYRAD by GORE-TEX LABS product technology and an inner lining. This innovative functional fabric means that GORE-TEX


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PYRAD protective garments provide the highest level of class 2 electric arc protection. A porous insulating barrier forms on the lightweight outer fabric made of polyester or polyamide within milliseconds of sudden exposure to heat, or the moment at which an electric arc incident occurs. This barrier blocks the convective heat flow during arc exposure and keeps the wearer safe. All this happens ‘in real-time’. But what makes this solution more comfortable for the wearer? When wet or dry, this innovative material is up to 45% lighter than previously available flame-retardant waterproof fabrics. This results in a lightweight garment that is still highly breathable, waterproof and windproof. This is essential because SPIE technicians work outdoors, whatever the weather. They have even been known to work on pylons in wind conditions reaching gale force six.


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