WORKWEAR


WORKING WITH WATERPROOF


BMJ looks at the issues to bear in mind when selling wearable wet-weather attire. hey say that there is no such thing


T


as bad weather, just poor clothing choices and it’s certainly true that rain can affect one’s mood. Staying dry


and comfortable in wet weather is important for those who need it on site. What is suitable depends on a variety of factors, from the type of rainfall to how intensely the work is carried out and how many hours you spent outside.


Waterproof’ v ‘water-repellent’ When it comes to ‘water protected’ workwear it’s important to know what’s behind each of the terms. They are different.


Peter Dumigan, managing director or the Hultafors Group UK, says: “A waterproof garment – like our GORE -TEX® jackets - is the most effective 100% protection in rainy weather. This kind of waterproof fabric consists of an outer layer called the “face fabric”, usually made of polyester with a laminated membrane that prevents water penetration”. It’s achieved by sealing the internal fabrics completely. All seams and cut lines are taped or sealed to stop the water coming through the stitched areas of the fabric.


Water-repellent garments only offer basic protection against the effects of water, but at the same time provide great breathability when the user is active. Water-repellent protection is achieved by using a hydrophobic fabric, which means that the water is repelled on contact. The fabric is treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish that causes the water to form drops on the surface of the fabric that run off or can be brushed off easily .


The right kind of waterproof “Our GORE-TEX® jackets are highly-technical garments are extremely durable with a membrane has over 1.4 billion pores per square cm. They’re waterproof, windproof, and breathable,” Dumigan says.


The PU garments offer quick and reliable protection for less active work, which have EN 343 certification for Protection against foul weather. This accreditation validates the garment’s performance in the rain through independent testing. Clothes’


breathability is as crucial for comfort as


the outer-layer protection


against water. Clothes with


good breathability


transport sweat away from the skin, he adds. Breathability comes in two ways. Either the breathability of the fabric itself,


such as our 37.5® sports fabric, or built-in ventilation functionality such as zippers


such as zippers or meshed fabric areas at the sides and back of the


or meshed fabric areas at the sides and back of the garments. BMJ


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net January 2020


ARE YOU KNEELING COMFORTABLY? Kneepads ar e an important part of a


tradesperson’ s armoury but many mer chant customers are unaware of which type will be best for their needs.


One of the most common side ef fects of kneeling on hard surfaces without sufficient protection is knee bursitis, often known as ‘housewives knee’. By investing in the right kind of knee pr otection pads though, this can all be avoided, because these will disburse the pressur e on the knees and pr event punctur e wounds.


John Dabb, sales and marketing director at Hyde says that whilst the knee obviously takes most of the brunt when kneeling, other parts of the leg also need pr otection in or der to avoid feeling the strain. “Kneepads that of fer support not just to the knee itself, but the thighs and lower leg in general ar e well worth highlighting to any customers that are likely to spend their workind day bending and str etching.”


He explains that some of the most common kneepads of fer pr otection in the form of foam padding, which works by compression and does little to cushion fr om real impact or to support the joints. “Redbacks kneepads, by comparison, act like shock absorbers, evenly absorbing and distributing the weight thanks to a soft, flexible leaf spring embeedded in a honeycomb matrix. This is patented technology that dissipates the pr essur e and supports the knees by suspension.”


Pocket knee pads ar e popular, he continues bcasue they simply sit in the trousers and give the tradesperson peace of mind that their knees ar e always well pr otected without having to stop everything when moving ar ound site, just to change their kneepads. “Above all though, when a customer is choosing kneepads, it is important that they can check the fit and feel the dif fer ence in quality.“ BMJ


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