Is workwear PPE? It seems like a simple question, but the answer is not. A work jacket, pair of trousers or uniform may be mandatory without being personal protective equipment. At the same time, clothing worn at work can also be PPE. In this article, I explain the difference.
Is workwear PPE?
Workwear is not automatically personal protective equipment. If the purpose of the clothing is, for example, to make employees recognisable, it is not PPE. But if it is designed to protect the wearer, then it is.
There are roughly three categories:
Regular workwear: This clothing is worn for professionalism, uniformity, recognition or to protect the employee’s own clothes. Examples include supermarket uniforms, flight attendant uniforms and aprons worn in the hospitality industry.
Workwear as PPE: This protective clothing is worn to protect employees against risks associated with their work. Examples include protection against heat, fire, chemicals and other specific hazards.
Other PPE: In addition to protective clothing, PPE also includes equipment that protects specific parts of the body, such as helmets, face shields and safety footwear.
When is workwear PPE?
Whether a garment is PPE does not depend on its name or appearance. It depends on its purpose. PPE is designed to protect the wearer against external risks.
Firefighters: wear protective suits to protect themselves against heat, flames and other hazards.
Sewer workers: may wear protective clothing to protect themselves against contaminated liquids, hazardous substances and other workplace risks.
Healthcare workers: when treating patients with infectious diseases, nurses and other medical staff may have to wear protective suits.
When is workwear not PPE?
Most workwear we see in everyday life does not have a protective function. It is mainly worn for professionalism, uniformity, recognition or to protect personal clothing.
Supermarket employees: often wear shirts with the supermarket’s logo so customers can easily recognise them.
Hospitality staff: often wear aprons to protect their own clothes from food and drink stains.
Flight attendants: wear uniforms so passengers can easily recognise them and to create a consistent appearance across the entire crew.
One garment can have multiple functions
Sometimes a garment serves more than one purpose. A pair of work trousers may create a professional appearance while also protecting the wearer against heat and flames. Today, multinorm garments are becoming increasingly common. These garments comply with several safety standards and protect against multiple hazards.
You cannot always recognise this by looking at the clothing. What matters is what the garment was designed to do. If it is intended to protect the wearer, it is PPE.
Why this distinction matters
It is important to distinguish between regular workwear and workwear that also qualifies as PPE. PPE must comply with specific safety standards and legal requirements. For example, protective clothing with a special coating may lose part of its protective properties after repeated washing. The number of wash cycles differs per garment and must always be taken into account.
Regular workwear, on the other hand, is mainly judged on appearance and practicality. A supermarket uniform, for example, simply needs to remain neat and presentable.
The distinction also matters from a legal and organisational perspective. Employers have different responsibilities when providing PPE than when issuing regular workwear. Protective clothing must be suitable for the risks involved, properly maintained and replaced when it no longer provides adequate protection. That is why it is important to know whether a garment is simply workwear or officially classified as PPE.
Want to read more about PPE and protective workwear?
Also check:
- How to wash high visibility workwear
- The remarkable history of hi-vis clothing
- 5 tips for washing functional work clothing
- Greetings,
Aileen
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