Appropriate Clothing

Video 29 of 51
2 min 9 sec
English
English
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It is important to wear the correct clothing and personal protective equipment whilst at work.  Clothing that is flammable will increase your risk, especially if chemicals could potentially be transferred to your clothes.  Follow your workplace policies as they will know the risks in your specific company. Certain workplaces will have requirements for the clothes and shoes you wear, and an example of this could be overalls. Not only would these keep you clean, but they will also be made of a specific, non-flammable substance, which reduces the risk of them catching fire. Loose clothing is something else which should be avoided, especially if you are working in a factory or on machinery with moving parts. Smooth-soled shoes are fine for working in an office environment, however, if you move into a factory, the floor may be slippery, which then puts yourself at a much greater risk of a slip, trip or fall occurring. 

There are different types of footwear that could be worn in your workplace: Dress or smart shoes for an office situation, steel-toed boots with high-grip soles are very useful in a factory or building site, wellington boots are also an option if you are working in a very wet environment. This is not an exhaustive list, and the correct footwear should be advised by your employer or the person responsible for the workplace. 

Certain types of footwear also double up as Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, such as the steel-toe capped boots, protecting as they do your feet and toes from injury. Another example of PPE that doubles up as clothing is a white laboratory jacket. When wearing one you must make sure that your sleeves are completely rolled down, otherwise, a chemical spill may get in between your gloves and sleeves and could possibly irritate or burn your arms. Also, make sure that the front of the jacket is completely done up to protect your body as much as possible. Remember, you must make sure that the clothing you are wearing is suitable for the environment you are currently in.