At the beginning of the twentieth century, people employed in factories, the construction sector and other industries chose work clothing mainly by durability and affordability. There was no laboratory testing or standards that the fabric had to meet.
The rise in industrial injuries changed this approach. It became clear that a seemingly durable fabric could not always perform its main function – to protect the human body. This was especially evident under the effects of rain and fire. It was precisely in response to these challenges that the standards which today define the quality of work clothing were formed.
People employed on construction projects and in the agricultural sector often have to work for hours in the open, in any weather. In such an environment, clothing without waterproof properties quickly gets wet, becomes heavy, creates discomfort and causes a rapid change in body temperature. And prolonged dampness, especially in transitional seasons, creates a real risk of hypothermia.
On the other hand, a fully waterproof but non-breathable fabric causes a so-called “greenhouse effect”. The evaporation of sweat is hindered, which is no less problematic for the human body. It was precisely to assess this balance that the EN 343 assesses standard was created.
Workwear standards
EN 343 assesses work clothing by two main parameters: resistance to water penetration and vapor permeability. The first determines how effectively the fabric protects against water, and the second – how easily it lets through the vapor released by the body. The latter is assessed by the Ret index – the lower its value, the better the fabric “breathes”. Both parameters have four classes, and the fourth class is the highest rating. The standard also envisages an optional “rain tower test”, during which the finished clothing is tested under simulated rain conditions.
No less important is flame-resistant work clothing. People employed in electric power, oil-refining plants, metallurgy and the metalworking field work daily under the effects of high temperature, sparks and open flame.
Ordinary synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and polyester, cannot perform a protective function in such an environment. On contact with flame, they melt, stick to the skin and increase the severity of a burn. That is exactly why the EN ISO 11612 standard was created, which assesses the fabric’s behavior on contact with flame and various sources of heat.
Work clothing compliant with EN ISO 11612 limits the spread of flame and, at a critical moment, ensures the protection of the person. The standard includes several codes: A – flame spread, B – convective heat, C – radiant heat, D and E – the effect of molten metals, and F – contact with a hot surface.
Each of them has its own protection level, which is chosen according to the specifics of the working environment. One fabric cannot cover all the codes at once, so the appropriate combination depends on the needs of the specific industry.
In practice, it often happens that employers, when choosing clothing, first assess the price and the visual side and pay attention to the standards only after a problem arises. However, EN 343 assesses and EN ISO 11612 are standards based on the simulation of a real working environment, and complying with them is not a formality. Moreover, EN 343 assesses also envisages the re-assessment of the fabric’s characteristics after washing.
Leader’s role on the Georgian market
Today, in international tenders and large infrastructure projects, compliance with safety standards is a mandatory requirement. Clients increasingly demand not only the use of quality fabric but also documentation confirming the relevant international standards. This approach reduces the risk of workplace incidents, ensures compliance with international norms and gives companies more credibility before their partners. As a result, the purchase of workwear is an important part of the safety management system.
In Georgia, along with the development of the construction, manufacturing and energy sectors, the demands on workwear have also grown significantly. Companies are increasingly interested not only in design and price but also in compliance with international standards, especially in those projects where the requirements of international partners apply.
The Leader tailoring facility, which has been operating on the Georgian market since 2016, provides the production and supply of industrial and corporate uniforms. The company fully manages the process from fabric selection to design creation, from sample production to serial production, which makes it possible to take the requirements of EN 343 assesses and EN ISO 11612 into account from the very start. And local production allows companies to adapt the uniform to the specific working environment, climatic conditions and industrial requirements.
Leader (uniforms.ge) also functions with the status of a social enterprise, which gives its activity additional social responsibility.
The transition to standardized work clothing simultaneously meets safety, hygiene and legal requirements. An outwardly similar fabric cannot always ensure protection. The difference lies precisely in those international standards, taking which into account quality workwear is created.