Safety clothing

HEAD TO TOE PROTECTION

The market for personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing continues to grow as manufacturers come up with more innovations to help keep employees in the oil and gas industry safe on the job.

THE SAFETY CLOTHING sector continues to innovate, providing industries such as oil and gas with products that are increasingly comfortable to wear while still offering the protection needed to keep employees safe in often hazardous environments.

In regard to footwear, quality and safety rather than price should be the main consideration, according to Abu Dhabi-based National Factory for Safety and Security Products. The company advises checking for the following attributes in safety shoes: light in weight; slip-resistant, water-repellant, acid, corrosive substance and oil and gas-resistance; rubber sole to resist high temperatures; breathability; and ankle and sole perotection and support, such as its EN12568 workboot. “Our objective is to develop long-term relationships with our partners, our commitment is to join them at every part of the process to check our product performance and working together to improve and generate new technologies according to environment, conditions and workers’ needs,” said Jaime Andres Ramirez, the company’s sales manager.

Rock Fall has released the RTen, a heavy duty boot that is resistant to corrosive substances and has a sole made of a

Our objective is to join our partners at every part of the process to check our product performance and work to improve technologies.”

Smart technology has found its way into respiratory equipment to help monitor breathing.

specially formulated nitrile rubber compound for a long lifespan.

Red Wing Shoe Company, meanwhile, has launched the PetroKing range of footwear, which is designed for heavy duty use on oil and gas sites. The range includes lightweight construction, flexibility, slip and puncture resistance and abrasion protection for the heel and toe.

PPE designed to protect the respiratory systems of workers needs to take into account a range of factors, according to Ian Crellin from the British Safety Industry Federation. These include comfort; breathing resistance (which has improved over the years with better filter technology); proper fit on the wearer’s head (too loose affects efficacy while too tight is uncomfortable for long shifts); and the use of smart technology. This includes systems which can monitor the breathing of the wearer in real time and indicate when a filter is ending its life so it can be replaced before it becomes a hazard itself. 

For more information on respiratory PPE, go to www.bsif.co.uk