Disposable Overalls
Kimberly Clark Blue Disposable overalls
Protective clothing comes under the umbrella of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Workwear, which is designed to ensure the safety of workers and visitors alike in a variety of environments and applications. Protective clothing is a crucial part of daily protection in some workplaces, protecting the user from hazardous materials and/or chemicals, contamination, liquid splashes, dirt, dust, oils, high/low temperatures and heavy equipment.
Our range of protective clothing includes products from trusted brands such as Dickies, 3M, Kimberley Clark, Alpha Solway, Delta Plus and our very own trusted, quality brand, RS PRO. We pride ourselves for supplying leading protection that meets the required safety standards across several industries, including construction, utility, engineering, mining, manufacturing, health, education and more.
Importance of protective clothing?
Protective clothing in all its types exists to prevent injury and/or harm coming users on all parts of the body including the head, face, hands, arms, feet and the torso. There are different types of equipment and clothing available depending on the tasks or hazards the wearer will be exposed to, such as flame-retardant, chemical-retardant, antistatic and anti-abrasion.
Even though it is most clearly seen on construction sites in the forms of hi-vis, head protection and protective footwear, protective clothing is not just used on work sites. The vast array of products that fall under protective clothing also includes workwear used in: the hospitality and food industries to prevent cross-contamination and infection, chemical industries to prevent clothing damage and personal injury, and many other industries such as automotive, decorating and mechanical to protect skin and clothing from any fluids that may stain or cause irritation.
Head Protection
Portwest Blue Safety Helmet, Adjustable
Hard hats are also known as safety helmets, an item of PPE (personal protective equipment). Hard hats protect your head from falling objects and impact from other objects also protecting from electrical shock. Hard hats are worn within roofing and construction, also in forestry and offshore industries. They can be worn any environment by anyone. Hard hats are a legal safety requirement for you to wear on construction sites worldwide. You can find out more in our hard hats guide.
How are they constructed?
Hard hats are made from strong plastic such as HDPE (high-density polyethylene). There are suspension bands within the helmet that spread impact force over the top of the head, reducing injury. Hard hats can be supplied with a chin strap or ratchet adjustment keeping the hat firmly in place. Some models are vented to keep your head cool whilst working, for example, the Petzl Helmet range.
Types of Hard Hats
The helmet type defines the impact protection.Hard hats provide impact protection from objects hitting the top of your head.Hard hats provide protection from top and lateral impacts. You are protected from objects hitting the top of your head and from the side, or off centre.
Hard Hat Classes
The helmet class defines the level of electrical protection.Class E (Electrical) hard hats provide protection against falling objects and electrical exposure up to 20,000 V.Class G (General) hard hats offer protection against falling objects and electrical exposure up to 2,200 V.Class C (Conductive) hard hats offer protection from falling objects but provide no dielectric protection from electrical exposure.