Women s Hi-Vis Hazardwear An Expert Guide

Transcription

1 Women s Hi-Vis Hazardwear An Expert Guide Hi-Vis Waistcoats Hi-Vis Waterproof Jackets Hi-Vis Waterproof Overtrousers Hi-Vis Soft Shells Hi-Vis Polo Shirts Hi-Vis Cargo Pants GO/RT Rail Approved Hi-Vis Hazardwear

2 contents OUR SERVICE 2 DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A GOOD FIT 3 DESIGNED TO ENHANCE COMFORT AND SAFETY 4 LEGISLATION 5-6 HI-VIS HAZARDWEAR Weather Protection 7-8 Workwear 9-12 GO/RT RAIL APPROVED HAZARDWEAR 13 Weatherwear Protection Workwear Arco is the UK and Ireland s leading supplier of personal protective equipment, workwear and workplace safety products offering a world-class range of over 170,000 products. As Experts in Safety we are widely recognised as a provider of specialist advice through our branch network and this is further supported by our training and consultancy division. We reach our customers through an extensive product catalogue, interactive website, local sales offices and a 48 strong trade centre network. We pride ourselves on providing customers with great availability, performance and price. Founded in 1884 Arco has a heritage spanning four generations. With traditional family values at the heart of the business we pride ourselves on our core values; respect, hard work, enterprise and excellence in reputation. We fully subscribe to the ETI s Nine Principles Base code and have fully incorporated the internationally recognised code of labour practice into our own ethical policy. In 2007 Arco was the first distributor in our industry to become a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and in 2010 we became a member of Sedex, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange. We continually support local communities and charities donating in excess of 1% of pre tax profits annually. As we are members of the BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers Scheme you can be confident that we will supply safety equipment which is genuine and compliant with the relevant standards and regulations. The BSIF monitor and regulate members of the scheme by conducting regular standards audits. Women's Hazardwear Working with Our Customers Following an extensive piece of customer research, we discovered that many of our customers had a requirement for protective clothing specifically designed for women. Feedback showed that protective clothing worn by women is unisex but designed predominantly for men, is ill fitting and therefore uncomfortable to wear, it can restrict movement and potentially lead to safety issues through snagging. Some of the feedback we received was - Protective clothing is often more of a hindrance, providing a trip hazard due to ill-fitting sizes - which goes against the protective aim of the PPE Uncomfortable, even unsafe at times with items being too large or ill-fitting Women are made to feel they have to make do with poorly fitting uncomfortable protective clothing because it s compulsory for their work We created a working group with key customers to help us shape the development of our new hazardwear range to ensure it would meet their needs. When samples of the garments were ready we showed them to our customers and encouraged them to feed back. This allowed us to influence the development of the garments to ensure that they were as comfortable and practical as possible. Hazardwear Designed for Women Our objective when creating this range was to offer a collection of Hi-Vis Hazardwear that was designed specifically for women. Our core purpose is to keep people safe at work, and we want women to feel comfortable and professional without the distractions of ill-fitting hazardwear. Most of all we want them to feel confident that their PPE is keeping them safe when they are in potentially hazardous conditions. Our Women s Hazardwear Offers: Comprehensive Choice: We wanted to offer a choice of garments so that the wearer could select the Hazardwear garments most suitable for their workplace, environment and application. The garments that make up our women s Hazardwear range have been included because they make up the most requested women s Hazardwear items by our customers. Practical: developed to perform in busy working environments, garments have been manufactured from fabrics designed to withstand tough working conditions, and yet allow the wearer to remain comfortable and safe. Comfortable: designed to the shape of a woman s figure, and featuring sizing specifically for women, the garments provide a good fit ensuring maximum comfort. Safe: all Hi-Vis Hazardwear products are tested and approved to meet EN ISO and the orange garments meet GO/RT 3279 for use in the rail industry. Stylish: Garments are tailored to a women s shape and features such as the reflective tapes have been moved away from the chest area and configured in a more flattering v shape lower down the garments. 2 Arco Limited. All rights reserved. Terms and conditions apply, available on request or from

3 Designed to Achieve a Good Fit Designed to Enhance Comfort and Safety Our garments have been: Designed to fit a woman s shape We used the shape of existing women s wear to inspire the designs of our new garments so that we could be sure that they fit well. Sized to fit standard UK women s sizes Garments are sized to the standard women s sizing chart, for example sizes 8, 10, 12, 14 etc. They are not traditional men s or unisex sizing such as S, M, L. This provides more choice of sizes, and a better chance of a comfortable fit. Enhanced with features to improve fit We have incorporated additional features such as fully or partly elasticated waistbands, or zip access at the bottom of trouser legs allowing them to be put on over boots whilst maintaining a comfortable, straight fit around the ankle. Tailored to remove any excess fabric We have shaped garments to remove any excess fabric, for example unisex trousers are straight cut so that the waist and the hip size are roughly the same, this means that the fit on the hips and the waist would be too wide and uncomfortable for a female wearer. Trousers in our women s range have been tailored to have shaped rather than straight legs. Use of Reflective Tapes Hi-Vis Hazardwear which covers the torso usually has band and brace formation reflective tapes made of either glass bead or prismatic tape which is rigid and doesn t flex with the wearer. In order to make the Arco Women s Hazardwear garments as comfortable as possible we looked at the placement of the reflective tapes and the type of tape used. Placement of Reflective Tapes As the polo shirts sit close to the skin we decided to remove the brace reflective tapes from the chest area. To ensure the garments met the criteria for EN ISO we had to make the band tapes thicker so that they had enough retro reflective material to pass the standard without the additional brace tapes, on other garments we also lowered the tapes. Choice of Fabrics Durable When designing garments we selected practical yet comfortable fabrics which are fit for purpose. Stretch Fabrics The Women s Soft Shell and Polo Shirts are made from fabrics which have an element of stretch to them. Tape To complement the stretch fabric, we used four-way stretch tape for the reflective tapes. This ensures that garments provide a close fit but also that they stretch and move with the wearer while they work which enhances comfort. On our Women s Hi Vis trousers we have included three bands of reflective tape; two below the knee and one above, to provide retro-reflective protection and ensure visibility even when trousers are tucked into boots or when the wearer is bending down. Breathable Waterproof Fabrics Studies have shown that greater comfort helps concentration and thus increased effectiveness and productivity. When working outdoors it is important to provide waterproof clothing to protect from the elements that also includes breathable properties so that workers don t overheat. We have used a laminated polyester fabric to produce our Hi-Vis Jackets so that they provide waterproof and breathable weather protection. Our Ladies Hi-Vis Hazardwear Jackets score 3 for their waterproofness and 3 for their breathable properties, the highest level of protection for both classes. Arco Essentials Hi-Vis Polo Shirt New Arco Women s Hi-Vis Polo Shirt Arco Hazardwear Trousers New Arco Women s Hazardwear Trousers 3 4

4 Legislation Quality and Product Assurance Testing We are the first safety distributor to have our own, in house Product Assurance Laboratory. It is important to us to demonstrate expertise and independence and therefore we have had our laboratory independently accredited by: The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2002 Wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations require PPE to be supplied. The Regulations also require that PPE is: Properly assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose, this includes equipment which is a correct size and fit for the wearer Maintained and stored properly Provided with instructions on how to use it safely Used correctly by employees For more information, visit EN 471 High Visibility Clothing EN 471 sets the minimum standards of visual performance and durability needed for high visibility clothing worn in the workplace. Compliance with BS EN 471 ensures that the wearer is as visible as possible against varying backgrounds in all weather and lighting conditions and that a garment s conspicuity and structural integrity are retained over a reasonable service life in a workwear application. EN 20471:2013 High-Visibility Clothing This standard came into force in September 2013 and supersedes EN 471 (as above). This means that any Hi-Vis clothing manufactured after this date must comply with the new regulation although clothing tested and approved to the old standard can still be sold. EN ISO states that professional clothing must withstand the tough environments in which they are used. The test for the above standard includes six main areas: Colour Fastness Colour Measurement Dimensional Stability Tape Testing Garment Assessment Chemistry Testing EN 471 x y ISO x Whereas EN 471 comprised two values (X: risk class and Y: quality of the reflective strip), this standard only considers the X value. As only the highest quality of reflective strip is permitted, the Y value does not appear on the ISO pictogram. EN 343:2007 Protection against Rain Waterproofness and water vapour permeability are the main requirements for waterproof clothing materials. Waterproofness relates to water coming through the protective clothing materials from the outside (e. g. Due to rain, fog, snow etc.) Water vapour permeability (usually called breathability") describes the physical capacity of the material to allow water vapour, sweat etc. to escape from the inside to the outside. The standard defines three classes for each of the above properties. EN 343:2007 also contains requirements concerning the tensile strength, tear strength, seam strength and dimensional change resistance of the material. In our in-house laboratory we run tests in the following areas The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), are the sole body recognised by Government for the assessment and verification of testing laboratories against international standards. SATRA, the world's leading authority on international legislation and testing. We are accredited for a range of safety footwear, protective glove as well as high visibility clothing test methods. Testing Hi-Vis Clothing All of the garments in the new Women's Hi-Vis Hazardwear range have been tested and approved to EN ISO 20471:2013 'High visibility clothing for professional use'. We have carefully designed the new garments to ensure they incorporate the required amount of fluorescent and retro-reflective material required by the standard. To ensure ongoing compliance as part of our due diligence programme we routinely batch test garments. Chromaticity and Luminance EN ISO Determination of colour A spectrophotometer is used to test a piece of material from the background fabric of hi visibility clothing for chromaticity (colour) and luminance (brightness). Retro-reflection EN ISO Determination of retro-reflective performance A photo-goniometer is used to test the retro-reflective properties of a material such as the tape which is applied to hi-visibility clothing. We have an agreement to test retroreflection in conjunction with an independent test house. The standard EN ISO 20471:2013 requires that some determination should be made of the colour properties of a material after ageing. To this end the standard requires that the colour of a fluorescent material should be assessed after at least five washing cycles, after which the defined values for chromaticity and luminance should be met. Colourfastness EN ISO 105 C06:2010 Tests for colour A Gyrowash is used to evaluate colour fastness to washing, dry cleaning and chlorinated water of textile and leather samples. Appearance and Shrinkage EN ISO 6330:2012 Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing. A Wascator, is used to determine shrinkage and appearance after washing. A Wascator is a standardised European washing machine which has long since established itself as the standard reference washing machine for textile laboratories. 5 For more information on our testing procedures please visit 6

5 Weather Protection Women's Hi-Vis Waterproof Jacket Yellow A flattering Hi-Vis jacket, designed specifically for women. This jacket features a waterproof and breathable shell with a two-band-and-brace tape configuration. Conforms to: EN471:2003+A1:2007 and Class 3 and EN343:2003+A1:2007 3, 3 Women s Hi-Vis Waterproof Overtrousers Yellow Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Waterproof overtrousers offer additional protection when working in adverse weather conditions. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 and EN 343:2003+A1:2007 3,1 Sizes: 8-22 Ref: 18L1400 Regular 18L1600 Tall Sizes: 8-22 Ref: 18L2000 Laminated polyester fabric offers waterproof and breathable properties, keeping you dry and comfortable Side Pockets Elasticated waist allows for a secure, comfortable fit Two angled bands and braces of reflective tape with two additional bands on the sleeve provide retroreflective protection Napoleon pocket inside storm flap so you don t have to open the full zip to access your stored items perfect for use in bad weather conditions so the wearer stays warm and dry Mid thigh zip access enables easy dressing and removal of trousers whilst wearing footwear Laminated Polyester fabric provides waterproof protection Two internal pockets and one mobile phone pocket Shape tailored to provide a comfortable fit Designed to provide a close fit to reduce loose material which could cause a hazard Three concealed zip pockets and two side pockets allow safe keeping of possessions Concealed one handed waist and hem adjusters offer a secure fit and can be used to reduce drafts Three bands of reflective tape; two below the knee, one above, provide retro-reflective protection and ensure visibility even when trousers are tucked into boots or when the wearer is bending down Zip protector flap to protect the zip from getting wet and dirty, which maintains the zip function A wicking barrier layer has been included along the bottom of the jacket to prevent water soaking in Slightly flared leg to allow for easier dressing 7 8

6 Workwear Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trouser Yellow Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Developed from our best selling women s cargo trouser this product offers hazard protection plus practicality and comfort combined with a great design. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 Sizes: 8-26 Ref: 18L1000 Regular 18L1200 Tall Women s Hi-Vis Polo Shirt Yellow Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment that offers exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Conforms to: Short sleeve - EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 1 or Class 2 when worn with Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trousers Long sleeve - EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 or Class 3 when worn with Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trousers Sizes: 8-20 Ref: 18L0500 Short sleeve 18L0700 Long sleeve Part elasticated waist for additional comfort and improved fit Made from hard wearing polyester cotton to increase garment longevity and be hardwearing in tough working environments Breathable wicking soft feel polyester fabric keeps the wearer comfortable whatever the conditions Three button placket ensures a comfortable fit can be achieved Two bellowed cargo pockets, two side pockets and one rear pocket offer lots of space for personal items Three bands of reflective tape; two below the knee and one above, provide retro-reflective protection ensures visibility even when trousers are tucked into boots or when the wearer is bending down 'Brace' reflective bands have been removed so they do not restrict the chest area of the wearer to increase comfort Internal knee pad pockets provide the option to wear kneepads for additional protection when kneeling down; will fit the Trojan knee pad (8M100) Reflective tapes are made from four-way stretch tape so they flex with the garment to aid the wearer s comfort Long sleeve option also available A divide has been incorporated into the design so the polo shirt isn t restrictive We have increased the width of the reflective tapes (from 5cm to 6cm) on the short sleeve polo to ensure they provide the required amount of retroreflectivity on a smaller surface area to ensure garments meet EN ISO Press studs at hem to ensure secure fitting around the legs

7 Women s Hi-Vis Soft-Shell Yellow Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. This soft-shell offers additional warmth in cold conditions or a suitable outer layer in light rain. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 3 Sizes: 8-20 Ref: 18L1800 Women's Hi-Vis Waistcoat Yellow A waistcoat shaped to fit a woman s form, designed to fit comfortably over normal clothing. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 Sizes: S (8/10), M (12/14), L (16/18) Ref: 18L0100 Polyester fabric with brushed fleece inner offers water resistance and warmth Two angled bands and braces of reflective tape configured with two additional bands on the sleeve provide a high level of retro-reflective protection Velcro-fastening front 5cm wide reflective tapes are made from four-way stretch tape so they flex with the garment to aid the wearer s comfort Centre front zip plus two zip closure side pockets offer secure storage of personal items Shaped to provide a close fit, which reduces loose material which can cause a hazard ID pocket with clear window Velcro adjusters on wrists allow for a close fit which will stop cold drafts and aid wearer comfort Additional patch pockets for those important small items Longer length to flatter the female figure

8 GO/RT 3279 Approved High Visibility Workwear On the UK railway networks, it is a mandatory requirement for all people working on the trackside to wear High Visibility workwear as part of their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This workwear is fluorescent orange in colour and has the addition of retroreflective stripes incorporated in the garment. GO/RT 3279 is the standard produced by The Railway Group for the minimum requirements for high visibility clothing. The standard tries to ensure that clothing worn by workers on or near railway tracks should conform to a single standard. Any garment which conforms to the GO/RT 3279 standard meets at least class 2 of EN 471 for the minimum area of high visibility materials used within the garment. Weatherwear Women s Hi-Vis Waterproof Jacket Orange Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. This waterproof jacket is a development from our established and popular yellow hi-vis version. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 3, EN 343:2003+A1:2007 3, 3 & GORT 3279 Issue 8 Sizes: 8-20 Ref: 18L0900 Removable hood with press stud attachment can easily be removed if required for safety reasons Why Do Rail Workers Wear Orange? Orange Hi-Vis is almost synonymous with the rail sector, the reason behind this is that yellow and green are both used for train signal flags, so orange Hi-Vis is used to make sure the driver of a train does not confuse these with someone who is working on the tracks. Background material The background material must be fluorescent orange with chromaticity and luminance. The change in chromaticity after light exposure and colourfastness shall conform to the requirements of BS EN 471: 2003 High Visibility Clothing for Professional Use. Two angled bands and braces of reflective tape with two additional bands on the sleeve provide retro-reflective protection One Napoleon pocket inside storm flap so you don t have to open the full zip to access your stored items perfect for use in bad weather conditions so the wearer stays warm and dry Retro-reflective material The photometric and physical performance requirements for the retro reflective material shall conform to the requirements stipulated in BS EN 471:2003, class 2 - Intermediate Protection Level: Bands of retro reflective material shall not be less than 50mm wide. Minimum background material 0.50m 2. Minimum retro reflective material 0.13m 2. Marking Except in the clothing worn by a Rail Incident Officer or First Aider, the background material shall not be obscured by the addition of any other features, unless provision has been allowed for in the specification such that the minimum areas of background and retro reflective material have been preserved. The only permitted features are the name and logo of the employing company, and titles or designations associated with the management of incidents, as listed: Rail Incident Officer (RIO) Press Officer Recovery Engineer First Aider Train Operators Liaison Officer (TOLO) Laminated polyester fabric offers waterproof and breathable properties, keeping you dry and comfortable Two internal pockets and one mobile phone pocket IPad pocket to ensure safe keeping of an IPad, tablet or larger documents A wicking barrier layer has been included along the bottom of the jacket to prevent water soaking in Three concealed zip pockets and two side pockets allow safe keeping of possessions Concealed one handed waist and hem adjusters offer a secure fit and can be used to reduce draughts

9 Women s Hi-Vis Waterproof Overtrousers Orange Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Waterproof over trousers offer additional protection when working in adverse weather conditions. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2, EN 343:2003+A1:2007 3, 1 & GORT 3279 Issue 8 Sizes: 8-22 Ref: 18L1500 Regular 18L1700 Tall Workwear Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trouser Orange Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Developed from our best selling Women s cargo trouser this garment offers practicality, comfort and great design. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 & GORT 3279 Issue 8 Sizes: 8-26 Ref: 18L1100 Regular 18L1300 Tall Part elasticated waist for additional comfort and improved fit Side Pockets Elasticated waist allows for a secure, comfortable fit Made from polyester cotton to increase garment longevity and be hard wearing in tough working environments Mid thigh zip access enables easy donning and doffing of trouser whilst wearing footwear Laminated Polyester fabric provides waterproof protection Two bellowed cargo pockets, two side pockets and one rear pocket offer lots of space for personal items Three bands of reflective tape; two below the knee, one above, provide retro-reflective protection - to ensure visibility even when trousers are tucked into boots or when the wearer is bending down Three bands of reflective tape; two below the knee, one above, provide retro-reflective protection to ensure visibility even when trousers are tucked into boots or when the wearer is bending down Internal knee pad pockets included to provide the wearer with the option to add kneepads for additional protection when kneeling down, will fit the Trojan knee pad (8M100) Zip protector flap to protect the zip from getting wet and dirty, which maintains the zip function Slightly flared leg to allow for easier dressing Press studs at hem to provide secure fitting around the ankles

10 Women s Hi-Vis Soft-Shell Orange Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. This soft-shell offers additional warmth in cold conditions or a suitable outer layer in light rain. Conforms to: EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 3 and GORT 3279 Issue 8 Sizes: 8-20 Ref: 18L1900 Women s Hi-Vis Polo Shirt Orange Designed specifically for women to provide an appropriate fitting garment and offer exceptional levels of comfort compared with traditional unisex products. Conforms to: Short sleeve - EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 1 or Class 2 when worn with Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trousers Long sleeve - EN ISO 20471:2013 Class 2 or Class 3 when worn with Women s Hi-Vis Cargo Trousers and GO/RT 3279 Issue 8 Sizes: 8-20 Ref: 18L0600 Short sleeve 18L0800 Long sleeve Polyester fabric with brushed fleece inner offer water resistance and warmth Breathable wicking polyester fabric helps the wearer stay comfortable in both warm and cold temperatures Three button placket ensures a comfortable fit can be achieved Two angled bands and braces of reflective tape configured with two additional bands on the sleeve provide a high level of retro-reflective protection Centre front zip plus two zip closure side pockets offer secure storage of valuables 'Brace' reflective bands have been removed so they do not restrict the chest area of the wearer to increase comfort 5cm wide reflective tapes are made from four way stretch tape so they flex with the garment to aid the wearer s comfort Long sleeve option also available Velcro adjusters on wrists allow for a close fit which will stop cold drafts and aid wearer comfort Divide has been incorporated into the design so the polo isn t restrictive to a woman s shape 6cm wide reflective tapes are made from four-way stretch tape so they flex with the garment to aid the wearer s comfort

11 Contacts Arco Ltd. P.O. Box 21, Waverley Street, Hull HU1 2SJ Regional Sales Office Network Aberdeen Scotland & Northern Ireland North England North West England Yorkshire East Midlands West Midlands South West South East Republic of Ireland (+353) Arco Limited All rights reserved.