The term “workwear” used to be fairly specific. It used to refer to coordinated uniforms that could not or would not be worn outside of work. Things are different today. Now, workwear refers to any clothing a person might wear at work, even if that clothing would also be worn on the street.
Why do we mention all this? To introduce the topic of industrial workwear. It is not unusual for new customers to ask us what makes industrial workwear different from other kinds of workwear. They are curious to know whether industrial clothing would be the best choice for their workers.
In certain environments, industrial workwear is absolutely the best choice. Clothing in this category is specifically designed to withstand punishing work environments and can stand up to things that street clothes cannot.
Grease and Solvents
A good example of industrial workwear are our uniforms rentals for automotive shops. The pants, shirts and coveralls we supply are made with materials that stand up well to grease and solvents. Standard pants and shirts worn on the street just do not compare.
Industrial environments are havens for all sorts of contaminants. If it’s not grease or solvents, it might be other chemicals workers are using to do their jobs — none of which are good for clothing. But if workers are not wearing industrial clothing, they are not maximizing the protection their clothing is intended to provide.
Hard Work
Hard work, in particular work that is hard on clothing, is another concern in the industrial environment. Workers in industrial environments are lifting, twisting, turning and so forth. Many work with hand or power tools, and in some environments workers are using machining tools like lathes and presses.
Industrial work can be extremely hard on a person’s clothing, so hard that street clothes simply don’t cut it. Workers need uniforms that work as hard as they do. They need uniforms that will not be worn out and ready for the trash after just a couple weeks of work.
High-Visibility Clothing
Let’s not forget that some industrial environments require high-visibility uniforms. For example, imagine a large manufacturing warehouse buzzing with forklift traffic. Workers in that environment need high-visibility clothing to maintain maximum safety. Industrial workwear with high-visibility accessories, like reflective strips, is the ticket.
Even outdoor environments sometimes require high-visibility clothing. Take road construction workers — they dress in bright orange and green so heavy-equipment operators and drivers can see them. Without high-visibility clothing, they are at significant risk of injury.
High-Quality Uniforms Delivered Clean and Fresh
It should be clear that industrial workwear is not the same type of clothing people would wear to the office. Management and office workers can get away with business suits and dresses — their counterparts working on the industrial floor cannot.
Alsco is proud to offer high-quality workwear uniforms delivered clean and fresh every week. We can customize our uniforms to your facility’s specific needs, whether those needs are related to weather, visibility or work environment. Don’t be afraid to ask about your team’s protective needs.
Renting industrial workwear from Alsco ensures your employees have clean and fresh uniforms every day of the week. Rental also means that your company doesn’t have the hassle of maintaining uniform inventories. You don’t have to buy uniforms, launder them or fix them when they get damaged. We handle everything for you at a reasonable monthly cost.
Want to know more? Just give us a shout.