When it comes to choosing rainwear for your site staff first think about what they actually need from rainwear, how much time they spend outside and how hard wearing they need their rain gear to be. For example, somebody who spends more time in the site office may not need the same functionality as someone who is working outside all day. You need to consider how comfortable you want them to be and how waterproof the gear actually needs to be. And it really helps if you understand how rainwear is generally put together.

HOW RAINWEAR IS MADE AND WHY IT MATTERS

There are two main types of rainwear – welded seam rainwear is typically made of PVC or polyurethane and has a smooth outer surface, with HI FREQUENCY heat the material melts and this is what allows the seams to be welded. This means there are no stitching holes and no weak spots where the water can get. Think of that old style bright yellow, wet weather gear. The problem is that gear tended to be very heavy and stiff and quite hot. So whilst it would keep you dry, you might also work up a sweat in it and it wasn’t particularly comfortable. The modern version of this, polyurethane, stretches more, weighs less and is more comfortable to wear. But it’s still not breathable.

That’s where seam sealed rainwear comes in. Typically made from 2 or 3 layers of material laminated together and seam sealed. This rainwear can’t be welded because it does not melt in the same way as polyurethane. It is usually much more comfortable to wear – lightweight and breathable. Often the outer layer is made of Oxford nylon, this is a woven polyurethane fabric – the Oxford part refers to the type of weave. This outer shell is not actually waterproof on its own – it’s just an outer fabric. The second layer is what gives the waterproof properties – this is a membrane and is usually very thin it can be laminated to the interior of the outer layer, or sometimes it’s sprayed on. This is a pretty high performance material and has molecular holes that are smaller than water molecules so vapour can pass through but not actual water – making it ‘breathable’.

The membrane layer is very thin and in good quality rainwear there should be something to protect it. This might take the form of a thin netting inner.

WHAT DO WATERPROOF RATINGS MEAN – AND HOW ARE THEY MEASURED?

Waterproof ratings are measured in millimetres, which may sound odd but here is how it works.

A piece of the fabric to be tested is fixed over the end of a pipe. The pipe is then filled with water and the level at which the water starts to come through the fabric is the waterproof rating. So if the water starts to come through the fabric when the pipe is filled to 5000 millimetres of water – the waterproof rating would be 5k. In Leedsafe’s Robuck range most of the rainwear has a waterproof rating of 10k or above – meaning it will keep you dry in the most severe downpour.  

You may wonder why fabrics need to be tested under such pressure – and the reason is we do all sorts of things that apply pressure to rainwear. So if you pick up a wet box in a rainy yard and it presses against you as you carry it, that can apply a pressure of up to 5000mm. And even simple things like sitting down on your wet rainwear can apply a tremendous amount of pressure.

RAINWEAR FEATURES TO CONSIDER

Another thing to look at when choosing rainwear is what other features it might have.

Staff that are working with their hands a lot outside might need features like neoprene cuffs on their rainwear – these make sure that if you’re reaching above your head for whatever reason, rain is not going to roll back up your arm and into your jacket.

Hoods are a basic. But wearing hoods when you’re working outside in hazard areas means they need some special features. For instance, you might want a hood that fits over hard hats. Or one that has drawstrings around it to tighten up around the face in storms. A chin guard is also handy so water doesn’t run down the neck. And even with the hood up it’s important not to lose peripheral vision when working on a busy, construction site or in a hazard area. So look for a hood that has a cutback on the sides.

Other things to look out for are storm flaps – a double flap that folds over the zip to stop water penetrating; internal pockets that mean staff can keep radios on them but out of the rain; storm pockets that have flaps over them to ensure no water gets into them.  

CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR RAINWEAR

When it comes to looking after rainwear there are just two key points to remember.

1. Keep it clean - that means brushing off sawdust, mud, grit – all those things that it’s exposed to during the working day.

2. Always let it dry rather than just leaving it in a crumpled damp pile in the cupboard.  Put it on a hanger and leave it to dry in an airy space. If you leave it in a crumpled pile – that’s an ideal environment for bacteria to form in the warm, damp creases.

Need advice on rainwear for your staff? Contact the knowledgeable team at Leedsafe who will be happy to help.