Industry Report


Changing the face of the high-vis industry T


High-visibility clothing has been around for nearly 100 years. In this day and age, providers of such garments should consider the needs of the wearers. P&P editor Melanie Attlesey speaks to Nick Bale, marketing development manager at Leo Workwear, about four new products that have joined the collection in recent months.


when American Bob Switzer was injured in a workplace accident. During his recovery, he invented a neon-coloured paint by mixing


he origin of high- visibility clothing dates back to the 1930s


fluorescent minerals with wood varnish. He tested out his new paint, which he called Day-Glo, on his wifeʼs wedding dress, and it took off from there. The military soon took notice and during World War II, fluorescent panels were used to send signals from the ground up to planes, crews on aircraft carriers wore fluorescent fabric to distinguish where planes should land, and buoys were painted with it to denote which areas had been cleared of mines. And now fast-forward to 2019, this spring has seen Leo Workwear add several transformative products to its high-vis collection; a new Maternity range and the Lilly Modesty Tunic for women, along with the Heddon and Foreland waistcoats, which have been designed with a pocket specifically for storing a tablet.


Maternity range A rise in women working in environments requiring high-visibility clothing and the problems ill- fitting garments cause pregnant women, led to Leo Workwear


designing the Maternity range. The range enables women to continue their job role into pregnancy and ensures they are wearing fitted clothing that conforms to the relevant standard, ISO 20471 Class 2. “Until now, a pregnant woman whose job role involved being on a construction site, near the rail or road, has either been refused access or had to wear oversized menʼs products to ensure they conform to high-visibility standards,”


explains Nick. “These ill- fitting garments are potentially hazardous in a working environment and so puts a pregnant woman at further risk.” The range consists of two products: a polo shirt and a pair of trousers. Each item has elastication in key areas to allow a bump to grow area to keep the mum-to-be


The Heddon


comfortable. The Lovacott Maternity


Polo Shirt has elastic down the slide seam and the Verity Maternity Cargo Trousers feature a stretchy over-the-bump band.


Nick adds: “These products have been based on our already very successful womenʼs range, using some of the best branded


components, innovative fabrics and the latest reflective tape technology to offer what wearers expect from Leo Workwear products; comfortable and hard- wearing products that keep them visible. And they are all about enabling women to do their job and taking away potential safety issues that they may face in their day-to-day roles.” Back in April, Tarmac, a provider of


of our employees can be safe and remain healthy.”


Expectant mother Louise Pattison, who works for Tarmacʼs Cement and Lime business in Barnstone, Nottingham, added: “Prior to finding a supplier it was usual for expectant mothers needing PPE for their work to wear oversized male protective clothing and make alterations so Iʼm delighted to be one of the first people at Tarmac to have the opportunity to wear PPE that is specially made for pregnant women.”


The Lilly Modesty Tunic


Lilly Modesty Tunic After working on some of the biggest current infrastructure projects in the UK, it soon became apparent to Leo Workwear that there was a requirement for ladies who wanted appropriate PPE that kept them safe without compromising their beliefs. And so the Lilly Modesty Tunic was born. This full sleeved high-vis modesty tunic offers protection to women that work in environments where high-visibility clothing is a necessity but want to adhere to their religious beliefs. It is also a really good solution for any woman who requires a longer top conforming to ISO 20471 Class 3.


Heddon and Foreland


Louise Pattison of Tarmac models the new Maternity range


www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk


sustainable construction solutions, became one of the first companies in the UK to provide expectant mothers with specialist high-vis maternity clothing. Tarmacʼs senior vice president, Martin Riley, said: “Weʼre proud to be leading the way in introducing high visibility maternity PPE for expectant mothers. This pioneering initiative supports our aim of creating a more inclusive workforce and to work in an environment where all


As technology is used more and more in industries where high-visibility clothing is required, the need to have our devices close at hand has greatly increased. So what more could on-site workers want than a waistcoat that enables the wearer to have their device close by but also safely stowed away?


The large pocket on the Heddon and the Foreland is zip fastened and reinforced for strength and comes with a headphones eyelet so wearers can listen to their device easily if required.


The Foreland Sleeveless version conforms to ISO 20471 Class 2, while the Heddon Sleeved Waistcoat provides the highest class of protection, ISO 20471 Class 3. Leo Workwearʼs collection demonstrates that high-visibility clothing goes way beyond the average hi-vis vest and items such as these should be considered when offering high-visibility options to your customers.


June 2019 | 63 |


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