• • • APPAREL • • • GETTING SWITCHED ON TO


ARC RATED PPE PROCUREMENT Safety procurement officers have tough decisions when it comes to the balance between PPE purchase, often stretched budgets, and safety requirements to ensure total and legally compliant worker protection By Jonas Andersson, Professional Fabrics Associate, GORE-TEX


New Arc Rated GORE-TEX PYRAD Stretch jackets and trousers have 50 per cent more stretch than other existing products currently available and are 45 per cent lighter than other Class 2 arc protection rainwear.


Consider new design solutions Just as in the sports and leisure market, the demand for modern styling with functional protection remains high in the professional clothing arena. Workwear designers balance safety with functional style by combining material science, technological knowledge and innovative design. Some use comfort mapping to utilise contrasting textiles for different parts of the garment for heat and moisture management to help prevent excess sweat or overheating on warm days or during heavy work.


Don’t forget Wash & Care As garments get dirty and end-users sweat during work, check that products are proven to durably withstand multiple wash & care cycles. For example, Arc Rated GORE-TEX PYRAD laminates are proven to pass 30 wash/dry cycles in both home laundry and industrial laundry processes.


Identify the risks A


full risk assessment is the starting point for all employers to effectively manage risks in the workplace and to use as a blueprint for any required PPE provision. Accidents and exposure to risks, such as heat, flame and electric arc, are more likely to happen when PPE is discarded or only used sporadically when they aren’t comfortable to wear. Studies show that workers are more productive if they feel safe, well protected from work related risk and are wearing comfortable ergonomic and lightweight garments that move freely.


Ask your staff


Consult workers on what is important to them with their PPE. Engaging end users in wearer trials and applying their feedback on prototypes is a smart


initiative and will help ensure effective and modern designs are keeping workers safe in high-risk situations. Comfort is key: too hot, cold, leaky or heavy and no matter how good the product is in protecting against danger, the wearer is less likely to wear it correctly.


Check out the


latest technologies Total comfort and total protection is high on the agenda for designers and manufacturers developing the latest fabrics technologies. High-tech safety materials ensure that electrical engineers and industrial workers can rely on their PPE. There is a wide variety of lightweight multi norm garments which protect against the elements but also against additional risks, such as electric arc flashes or heat and flame. For example,


16 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • OCTOBER 2025


Sustainability through durability We all have a role to play in environmental stewardship and adopting a sustainable approach to workwear provision. Avoid throw-away cheap PPE because according to the life cycle assessment, the longer clothing and footwear products are in use, the lower the environmental footprint will be. Using products that are designed to be long lasting, easily repaired, reused and then recycled is a firm step in the right direction. Look out for the ISO standardised method for environmental assessment of products and services including ISO 14001 or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA – ISO 14040) but also compliance to standards such as Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX.


Wearer satisfaction levels PPE is worn by real people in real working conditions and should always provide high satisfaction levels for the end user. Comfort, style and thermal regulation in high performance fabrics work in harmony so that workers feel valued, safe and fully protected so they remain focused on the job in hand.


www.goretexprofessional.com/uk electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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