Safety Clothing Prevents Many Serious Accidents

There are many garments produced and sold to serve as safety clothing. Protection is necessary for those people working in hazardous situations. Dentists and X ray technicians wear lead aprons to protect them from repeated exposure to radiation. The dentists and dental hygienists wear goggles to protect their eyes.

Reflective Gear

In many instances, construction workers, who are on the job repairing highways, wear high visibility garments so they can be seen by passing motorists. Garments are manufactured for all kinds of weather including t shirts and polo shirts for the hottest days. There is rain wear with reflective tape, along with vests, jackets, sweatshirts and pants. Motorists often ignore the traffic cones placed around work sites. When they continue to drive at high speeds, construction workers can be struck and even killed.

Safety Clothing

We hear about the need to use sunscreen nearly every day. Now there is safety clothing that protects the skin from UV rays. This type of clothing has been sold and worn in the Australian outback for over ten years. It is made out of SPF protective material. Garments are made from fabric that protects the skin from UV rays, and is also cool and comfortable. They appear to be fashionable as well as functional in keeping the skin safer while the wearer is out in the sun.

Protective Garment

There is one protective garment familiar to anyone who has watched a Western movie or TV show. The cowboys wore chaps over their jeans. Viewers may think they were worn for appearance. However, they were originally made of thick leather to protect the riders legs when they rode their horses through thick brush out on the range.

Dangerous Jobs

Another version of chaps are made to wear while operating a chainsaw. There are also trousers made to protect professional chainsaw operators, lumberjacks for example. These trousers are made with layers of fabric fibers. There is an outer layer that is tough and slippery. Under this, ballistic nylon is used in layers. If the outer layer is penetrated by the saw, these inner fibers wrap around the chain to stop the blade, which prevents it from cutting into the workers leg.

Proximity Suit

The fire proximity suit protects firefighters from high temperatures. During the 1930s they were made of asbestos. Now that the dangers of asbestos are known, the suits are manufactured using vacuum deposited aluminized materials.

Entry Suit

This safety clothing is produced in three styles. The approach suit is worn in steel mills and smelting factories. The proximity suit is used for aircraft rescue personnel as well as firefighters. An entry suit is worn by those who may be completely engulfed in flames. The entry suit is used by Hollywood stunt men and women, and race car drivers.

Routinely Wear

Race car drivers routinely wear protective driving gloves. Originally designed to improve the grip on a steering wheel, these are now highly regulated. Designed to protect the hands in case of fire, they are required to have tight cuffs and withstand testing against flames and molten debris. They must also be made in a high visibility color to enable the driver to signal for help, if needed.

Hazardous Situations

These garments, along with those manufactured for protection in other hazardous situations, were developed in response to the dangers they protect against. The police departments bomb squad uses special suits and those working with dangerous chemicals wear their own type of protective safety clothing. Traffic directors wear rain suits in case weather condtions change. Each suit is designed to protect brave men and women working in a dangerous or potentially dangerous environment.