Workwear has evolved drastically in the last 100 years. What started as work clothing for farmers and trade workers in the 18th century, workwear is now mandatory by law to be worn by anybody working manual labor at hazardous environments such as a construction site, gasoline shops, and other trade stores. This is also the reason why several workwear suppliers are advertising their clothing online.
How to Choose the Best PPE Supplier for Your Company
If you are a company owner who employs manual labor, you must now mandate that you provide your employees with workwear clothing. The Australian Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA 1984) legislates that employers are responsible for ensuring their employees’ safety and wellbeing. Employers are required by law to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for free.
It is therefore important to choose the right workwear partner for your company. Here are some of the important factors to consider.
Workmanship
Your employees are the walking billboard of your company. If you will give them uniforms, the workmanship of the uniform is a reflection of how your company values its branding. A poorly sewn workwear will create an unprofessional impression on others. On the other hand, if a workwear uniform is well-made, it will create professional-looking workers.
It is also important to check the workmanship of potential workwear suppliers by asking them to send washed samples of the final workwear. Washed samples will allow you to determine how much colour will fade after an initial wash. Choose workwear that does not fade after washing and has quality workmanship that includes proper stitching, correct fit, and well-built.
Timely Delivery
It is also important to check if the supplier can deliver the workwear for your employees on time. You would want your employees to wear the proper uniform instead of regular clothes on their first day of work. This practice will install in them the sense of responsibility and importance of being in the right workwear for the job.
Flexibility
Is the supplier capable of handling an influx of workwear orders? If you have a construction company that employs a varied number of workers for every project, you will need workwear suppliers that can accept bulk orders at once. Likewise, check to see if your suppliers can accept repair work as well.
Affordability
If you are in the construction industry, it is best not to spare any expense for your workers’ PPE. Shortchanging your employees may bite you in the ass in the future when injuries in your workplace are attributed to inferior quality workwear. Likewise, if you invest in high-quality workwear, the safety and wellbeing that your employees get are well worth the cost.
Customization
Can the supplier deliver different coloured workwear for your workers while still giving you a discount on bulk prices?
While there are no specific rules that govern how a company colour-coordinates their employees, designating colour-coding workwear will allow you to do the following:
- Having a specific colour for each worker role can make it easier for supervisors to identify people during emergencies.
- Colour-coded workwear will allow workers to find other workers with specific roles. For example, a manual laborer can immediately find a worker in charge of emergencies.
As a final condition, it is best to check for workwear suppliers with good track records and have manufactured workwear and PPE that passed Australia and New Zealand Workwear Standards.