Protective Clothing is a kind of Personal Protective Equipment. Protective clothing means all clothing (including clothing protecting against rain) which is intended to be worn by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety. Various protective clothing will offer protection to different parts of the body e.g. lower limbs, upper limbs, torso or head. Ordinary working clothes and uniforms not specifically designed to protect the safety and health of the worker.
Physical hazards refer to: artificial optical radiation, electromagnetic fields and waves, static electricity, noise, vibration, ionizing radiation, mechanical hazards, cold, heat and flames. 'Heat and flame hazards: flames, infrared (thermal) radiation, molten metal splashes, hot or molten slag particles, hot metal splinters, hot objects.
The decision to use protective clothing as a control measure and its selection should be based on a risk assessment. The risk assessment should identify all hazards present and provide a measure of risk. Information on the safe level of hazards should be made available. It is required to take intensity measurements of hazardous and dangerous factors present in the work environment and compare the results with the parameters (safe levels). As the safe levels are determined, it should be possible to decide on the correct protective clothing that is needed.
Clothing protecting against heat and flame
A great variety of heat and flame hazards, with different exposure levels and intensities, places workers in situations of risk. Among others, the following groups of workers are exposed to heat and flame hazards: employees of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy and glassworks as well as the ceramic industry, iron and steel industry (forges, foundries), welders, etc. The correct selection of protective clothing against hazards associated with hot working places requires the determination of the relation between the intensity of the workplace-related hazard and the performance level of PPE with respect to the appropriate parameters.
