Lee Taylor, Wenaas, UK, explores the importance of specially designed PPE and work wear for the increasingly extreme environments faced by the oil and gas industry.

Attitudes towards offshore health and safety have come a long way in recent years. Heightened regulatory processes along with major advances in technology have meant that offshore workers are now better equipped to deal with the increasing demands of their roles in harsher climatic environments than ever before.

Health and safety has become a huge industry in its own right, with oil and gas industry bodies funding a multitude of research and development projects to provide the latest safety resources for their workforce. Included in this is the personal protective equipment and work wear sector, which has progressed in tandem with other strands of health and safety. As the offshore workforce evolves, so does the requirement for updated PPE and work wear. This is perfectly illustrated by the recent research undertaken by a university based in Aberdeen, which has assessed the implications of a physically growing offshore workforce upon a number of health and safety measures in general – not least the efficacy of PPE and work wear. The question is – have the work force’s habits changed sufficiently to ensure the right procedures are being followed?

Wenaas is a designer and manufacturer of work wear and PPE, and understands the importance of investment in research and development to continually optimise and improve work wear and PPE. It is on the basis of this commitment to R&D – and a ‘head-to-toe safety’ ethos – that Wenaas has been involved in research projects which aim to develop superior protection work wear, fit to cope with the extreme demands that the petroleum industry supplies.

This is important, because whilst the North Sea offshore industry holds a relatively positive track record for safety, E&P activity is moving into more hazardous, remote and ultimately more dangerous areas, as the search for reserves continues. This presents increasingly challenging environments within which work wear and PPE must perform, whilst highlighting the need for the emergence of innovative solutions and education on how to use those solutions to their best advantage.

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Employers decide what their workers will wear. This decision process has been at the heart of the corporatewear industry (to give workwear its more business-like name) for nearly 50 years. For 25% of the adult employed population of the developed countries of the world, what we wear to work is what our employers have given us.

Merchandise is typically sold at wholesale prices to companies or rented by them from garment rental companies that launder the garments on a “revolving” basis (one on the wearer, one in the locker, one at the rental laundry).

This latest edition of just-style’s global workwear report updates its market valuation data post-recession and provides a complete worldwide picture of the state of the sector. The report inclues:

• Forecasts for the market size by major region out to 2019
• A breakdown of workwear categories and routes of industry supply
• A clear and no-nonsense explanation of this complex category

The report focuses on the state of garment rental, manufacturing and fabrics.

Categories covered in the data include:

• General workwear
• Health workwear
• Corporate career clothing
• Promotional casual clothing
• Uniforms

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OFFICE workers are saying goodbye to the tie, as corporate workwear takes a dressing down.

Once a staple of the working man’s wardrobe, corporate image specialist Suzanne Dekyvere says many Brisbane offices are now shunning the traditional neck accessory for a more laid back approach to business.

“You run into a lot of guys just wearing pants and shirts,” Ms Dekyvere said.

“Queensland has a more relaxed vibe and that’s often reflected in corporate standards of dress.

“Its also extremely hot compared to the southern states, so it’s not realistic to suit up every day.”

Suncorp Bank’s senior strategy adviser Ed McGuiness said while the requirement to wear a tie in a corporate environment has diminished over time, it’s not out of fashion just yet.

“Wearing a tie sends the right professional message,” Mr McGuiness said.

“For me it’s a sign of respect, some people really appreciate the effort … dressing nicely helps you put your best foot forward.”

Suncorp has a “smart” dress policy for its workers, but Mr McGuiness says the company tries to adopt a fairly relaxed approach across the board.

New BoQ chief executive Jon Sutton, who is featured in Queensland Business Monthly inside Friday’s The Courier-Mail said he always wears a tie but doesn’t expect all staff to follow suit.

Mr Sutton’s predecessor Stuart Grimshaw was known for never wearing one.

Men’s fashion has swung away from a more rigid style of dress, replacing ties with pocket squares and a smart jacket.

“It’s becoming more and more acceptable not to wear a tie and in fact more on trend to just have a good dress shirt with no tie, top button undone and jacket over the top,” Department Group co-owner Jonathan Ford said.

And while Optio Consulting director Bevan O’Neill some industries will always require a tie, it was no longer the sign of “professionalism” it once was.

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Many employers are aware of their basic duty of care to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) at work, but do they really consider the value and the importance of health and safety workwear in their organisation?

Employers recognise the need to provide safety wear to protect their staff from carrying out tasks in a high risk environment; for example, to protect from burning if employees work close to hot ovens or furnaces. What, though, are the thought processes that managers and supervisors go through when issuing safety workwear?

When an employee has to conduct a task in a risky environment, and they do not feel completely protected, they will be keeping an eye on protecting themselves rather than carrying out the task as efficiently and effectively as they could. Issuing basic protective workwear does help to overcome this risk, but does it really place a value on helping the employee to be as comfortable and productive as they possibly could be?

If, for example, employees are working in hot environments, is the material that the protective clothing is made of fully breathable and made of natural fibres that will absorb perspiration? Is the employee’s movement restricted because the clothing is too bulky?

When considering purchasing new assets for a company, management will assess the best equipment looking at issues of output, performance and value. If the outputs can be improved on a new piece of equipment, then the cost can be justified. Is this the same when considering our employees and their health and safety workwear? Too often managers just provide the basic level of protection to cover the risk, but have they really thought about the quality and options available, and how poor quality workwear, may protect the employee, but can impact on their productivity?

I believe there is a business case for ensuring that employees are protected in a comfortable manner. This will allow them to feel safe when carrying out a hazardous task. Staff who are supplied well fitting, quality workwear are more likely to feel valued and more motivated; ultimately this can help with the retention and recruitment of staff.

Workplace risks are varied and include the obvious serious electricity risks, fire, chemical hazards and dangerous machinery which can cause fatality or loss of limbs or sight. There are other unseen risks that do not necessarily cause an immediate problem, yet can cause significant issues to an employee’s hearing, skin, lungs and breathing.

Employers should always consider weighing up risk with comfort. The comfort factor should not be considered just from a production and value perspective, but from a knowledge that wrongly fitted personal protecting clothing can have fatal consequences. For example, loose fitting protective clothing can easily get caught in machinery, causing a serious accident.

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The survey, carried out by GFK, was conducted in Belgium, Germany, Poland and the UK. On average 80% of respondents said they washed all workwear at home – in the UK the figure was 92%.

It found that consumers favour low temperature washing, but washing workwear at inappropriate temperatures could reduce or even remove protective properties such as high visibility, fire retardancy or chemical repellance.

According to 47% of all respondents, employers only check the state of their workwear “from time to time” and such inspections mainly covered visual damage.

Even with correct washing, protective properties may start to reduce after an extended number of cycles, but professional laundries will keep full details of the number and type of processes for each garment and can re-treat them if necessary. This does not happen when employees wash workwear at home.

Employers need to fully understand the impact home washing can have on both their employees’ occupational safety and their own liability, said ETSA. “They also need to be aware that a much safer option is provided by professional textile service firms.”

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The Royal Marines Band Service has gone back to the future by unveiling its new look – a uniform the musicians last wore 50 years ago.

For the first time since the mid-1960s the musicians will wear full-length dark blue greatcoats for certain outdoor performances, replacing dark blue capes.

The Royal Marines’ Portsmouth Band will be first to parade the new look at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday.

Lieutenant Daryl Powell, the band’s director of music, said: “The capes weren’t that easy to play in as they restricted the movement of the arms – particularly for our buglers who double up as drummers.

“So we are all pleased with the change – the greatcoats are more comfortable when playing and they look very smart too.”

The 45-strong band will wear the greatcoats every year at the London Remembrance Sunday parade and other outdoor winter performances when deemed appropriate.

The uniform will be rolled out to the other four bands in the RM Band Service over the coming months.

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Crafted as a jacket connected to a shirt connected to pants, the Suitsy has a zipper hidden behind the shirt button placard (with false buttons) and pants zipper. There’s even fake shirt cuff material extended from the end of the jacket sleeves to give the impression of a dress shirt worn underneath. Creator Jesse Herzog describes his invention as “a jumpsuit and a business suit had a lovechild.”

“I was at work and I was just thinking, ‘You know, I need a way to look professional and feel like I’m in my pajamas at the same time,'” Herzog said last week on “Good Morning America.” “It’s very comfortable. It’s not lined, so it’s kind of light and easy to wear. It’s also a really efficient way to get ready in the morning.”

“Shark Tank” personality Daymond John gave Herzog some advice on the practicality of the Suitsy.

“It’s all about pricing and positioning. How are you going to market it?” John said on “GMA.” “College kids or a sloppy guy who doesn’t want to get dressed or a farmer who wants to look fabulous on his tractor? Good luck!”

Herzog is currently testing out the idea on Betabrand.com, where people can vote for the idea if they want to see it made. As for how he plans to price the product?

“You can go to the mall and get a suit and a shirt for 600 bucks,” he said. “Suitsy? $375.”

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Five years ago, when accountant graduate Kym Clark started work at the Foxleigh coal mine at Middlemount, she was one of just a few women among hundreds of blokes.

She understood the standard bright orange safety workwear was part and parcel of the job.

But over the years, Kym began noticing the standard issue safety workwear, was not always appropriate and certainly not in the least bit flattering for women joining the mine’s workforce.

So she decided to do something about it.

She spoke to women in different workplaces seeking their opinions on how their uniforms could be improved, what worked and what didn’t, and what they did and didn’t like.

Then she combined her loves of mining, accountancy and fashion, to launch her new business “She’s Empowered”; designing a range of women’s mining workwear in softer fabrics and more flattering designs.

Kym said her research showed there were eight different female body shapes, so tailored her designs in different styles to accommodate all shapes and sizes, while still maintaining the necessary high visibility, safety and protective properties of the clothing options.

Her innovative designs also include maternity workwear, so instead of pregnant female employees having to wear a men’s shirt left unbuttoned over a singlet, they could wear a properly buttoned uniform for the term of their pregnancy.

“It’s about making women feel comfortable at work and confident in a uniform that fits them,” she says.

“It’s helping the women feel like they actually belong on site, by giving them a uniform that was designed by a woman, for women.”

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Workwear, referred to as outfits mandated by the work environment comprises various categories including basic workwear, technical wear, corporate wear and protective wear. Gradually reviving construction industry, steady growth in the foodservice industry and the expanding healthcare sector along with the subsequent rise in employment in these sectors are all factors expected to promote growth in the global workwear market. Rising emphasis on worker health/safety issues, stricter government mandates, technology innovations, and increasing pressure to reduce costs associated with workplace related injuries led disability and death, will drive future growth in the market. Encouraging gains in global manufacturing is also signalling an optimistic outlook for workwear given its use in diverse manufacturing industries.

Besides the increasing desire among men and women to wear stylish and functional attire to work, growth in demand is also expected to be driven by urban expansion, rural urbanization, growing disposable incomes as a result of rapid economic growth in emerging markets. Demand for workwear, particularly imagewear has received impetus driven by the perceived benefits of imaging and branding. Favourable demographics represent another important growth driver with the working age group of 15-64 years presently accounting for 66% of the global population. The emerging and underpenetrated markets in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East represent important growth markets. China and India represent two countries with the largest base of young population in the world offering significant opportunities for growth.

With comfort, safety and functionality playing a major role in the selection of workwear, fabric innovation represents an important focus area among manufacturers. Recent fabric innovations poised to benefit the market include Tencel®, a fabric made of eucalyptus pulp, and synergo™, a soft-shell stretch fabric. Also, the rising preference for green & environment-friendly apparel is expected to bode well in the long-run. Supported by technological advances in manufacturing and product designing, performance apparel with features such as moisture-wicking, anti-bacterial and anti-infection properties, is expected to witness steady growth over the next few years.
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The ‘Global market review of workwear – forecasts to 2018‘ found that the market slowed to a compound annual growth rate of 2.19% between 2006-2012. Before this, the global market had expanded by 4% per annum, but this dropped significantly during the global economic crisis of 2008-2009.

Higher unemployment rates across many countries led to a decline in demand for workwear in all major markets.

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