work clothing/ppe

[connor]

before i ask my question i will tell you my job.

I basically work repairing mains water leaks and doing new connections etc etc (outside all the time in 2 man gangs no office just a van)
We work monday-friday but also do a 24hour call out 365days of the year so as you can imagine it gets extremely cold at times!! They will still supply "water proofs" although over the years these have got worse. Ive always been proud for who i work for and of my job but now the top bloke is cutting so much off the workforce budget its crazy. They are in the middle of rewritting our contract basically so we earn less from our overtime but thats a different rant to this which the union are dealing with.

Work have ALWAYS supllied good PPE and clothing for all weathers!

Recently the south west of england area manager (whos nickname is tight mike) has decided that May Gurney will no longer supply jumpers or fleeces! and we as employees must wear out own jumpers with a high vis jacket on top!
you may say oh well but as im sure you can appreicate we get lagged in mud and clothing can get torn!

MG are always bangin on about company image etc etc now they want us basically looking like your average pikey and none proffesional!

Just wondering if anyone knows if they can enforce this being they have always supplied us jumpers and fleeces etc (at one time even beanies and even sun cream in summer) Due to the fact we do all hours of the day and in winter drops to -8 is the coldest ive been out in. Would it almost be classed as PPE due to the fact of it protects us from the cold?

How can the reasnably expect us to fork out of our own pocket considering we allready wash our own gear etc?

I was thinkin about askin the union but thought i would see what i could find out first but not sure where to look on the net???

any suggestions of wear to look or does anyone know about this type of thing?

 

[6inchcup]

my last company used to have a company uniform that was supplied to us ( 2 pairs of pants,3 polo shirts,2 jumpers and a fleece jacket) but the cost was taken from our wages weekly,you were expected to wash them yourselves and you were find if you got them into a dirty condition (silicone,flux stains etc),yours sounds like the way many firms are cutting costs these days and it is the future i'm afraid,my present firm is completely different were shirts ties and trousers are free but as it is a small firm the cost is minimal.

 

[One Planer]

My old man is a Health and Safety officer.

Give me a minute I'll ask him.

 

[One Planer]

If the uniform is for health and safety reasons then the employer is duty bound by the Health & Safety At Work Act to supply it.

If the employer just wants everyone to wear a nice black and white uniform - or whatever colour, then yes he can stipulate this. Having said that, I doubt that the contract would stand up under judicial scrutiny.

Basically, if you work in a cold environment, the company is duty bound, by H&S act, to supply suitable attire for the working environment. Take the frozen foods section at your local supermarket. They are supplied with gloves and fleece/thermal clothing to help with the working environment.

In your case, working outside, your working conditons through the year and the company is duty bound, by law, to protect you to a reasonable level rom those conditions. If this involves sunblock in the summer and thermals in winter it is their responsibility to supply them.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

What about summer wear polos etc.
Bit of a daft move by the company as having smart professional looking staff is good for business and staff moral.

I was one of the first guys to bring in uniforms for greenstaff in the 1980's. At first they hated it as it took away thier individuallity, but soon they realised they looked good and it saved them a fair bit of money.
It cost the club a bit, especially for decent waterproofs, but it was money well spent.

From a PPC point of view the company MUST provide them with clothing fit for the task. I think they could get away with shirts and jumpers in your case. First decent day get the guys to go topless wearing only a viz vest and I think they may change thier minds.

 

[Lump]

I work as a purchaser, part of my role is sourcing and buying 2 companies worth of PPE. From a companies point of view that cost of PPE is getting very expensive. The company I work for does a not too a dis- similar job to yourself with 90% of our workforce being site based. To kit out a single employee it costs just a tad over £400. Our company is hi-vis PPE mad, did you know after 3-4 washes the hi-vis part of clothing loses its reflectiveness and should be replaced.
You have to be provided the appropriate PPE for the environment you work in, I'd jump straight over this guys head and talk to your companies H&S officer and/or HR

 

[Wolfman]

Not sure i agree with this

I too wear PPE to visit site, the PPE is to protect me and show a visible image hi vis etc

It is not my employers job to keep me warm working in the UK

If they asked me to work in a cold store at -20 deg c then they would have to provide the correct clothing for the job


I think working outside in the UK and keeping warm enough is the resonsibility of the employee and the PPE is to keep his person and clothes protected not warm and toasty !

 

[Foxholer]

Not sure i agree with this

I too wear PPE to visit site, the PPE is to protect me and show a visible image hi vis etc

It is not my employers job to keep me warm working in the UK

If they asked me to work in a cold store at -20 deg c then they would have to provide the correct clothing for the job


I think working outside in the UK and keeping warm enough is the resonsibility of the employee and the PPE is to keep his person and clothes protected not warm and toasty !

You've got the 'Safety' bit, but have ignored the 'Health' bit.

Employers are also responsible for providing a 'Healthy' environment for their employees, irrespective of whether it's in an office, outside or down a mine/on an oil rig. Obligation is to provide reasonable gear for the conditions normally expected - so some sort of weatherproofing is expected. Simplest and most economical way is normally as part of the Hi-Vis gear.

 

[Andy]

Get yerself in a JS220 cab. The heated seat is a thing of beauty ;-)

 

[Andy]

Not sure i agree with this

I too wear PPE to visit site, the PPE is to protect me and show a visible image hi vis etc

It is not my employers job to keep me warm working in the UK

If they asked me to work in a cold store at -20 deg c then they would have to provide the correct clothing for the job


I think working outside in the UK and keeping warm enough is the resonsibility of the employee and the PPE is to keep his person and clothes protected not warm and toasty !

You must be one of the ones who walk about sites like a belisha beacon with sparkling Hi Viz gear like the new pup!

 

[connor]

You must be one of the ones who walk about sites like a belisha beacon with sparkling Hi Viz gear like the new pup!

you forgot the clipboard haha

 

[G1BB0]

I work for BT as an engineer = working outside a lot. The only cold weather gear we get is fingerless gloves, knitted hats, fleece jumper, jacket and waterproofs they are all crap. I buy my own socks, longjohns etc and do it for my own personal comfort, it would be nice if they supplied it but they dont so I just accept that. Besides the fuel costs are rocketing for them when I keep the engine running for the heater

 

[stevelev]

A lot of local councils and public sector provide these as they are hot on H&S.

There are certain rules about the temperatures of working in an office, and likewise rules for those working in the outdoor environment. Would someone in the office expect to come in day after day with no heating and just be told to wear more layers. No..... likewise if the weather is so hot employers are duty bound to provide a comfortable environment indoors by cooling areas which are worked in.

I manage a small team who work in and out doors, and we as an employer are liable to ensure they are looked after and equipped to complete any given task. This means provision of thermals, hi-viz safety boots and all other PPE. If during normal service and due to reasonable wear and tear these items need to be replaced it is our responsibility.

If your employer does not provide it, you are able to claim it back through tax, as PPE and clothing and equipment essential to your role. Best to get the employer to buy it in for you, but if not you will be able to claim it back.

If there are any site workers who operate at more than one site and use there own vehicle, they are also able to claim a big chunk back via tax each year, normally in the region of 2.5K.

We all need to pay TAX, but there are also things we need to claim rebates for.

 

[Andy]

LOL @ 2.5K

If you can get me that back I'll give you half.

 

[connor]

i dont suppose anyone knows where i can find cast iron info i can take to work with me and produce from a good source? eg a offical website stating something about clothing to be supplied at a certain temp etc? i would show them this but they prob wont accept it lol

 

[stevelev]

LOL @ 2.5K

If you can get me that back I'll give you half.

Your entitled to claim back 41 pence per mile through Mr Tax Man. When you think about it that is only 6250 business miles per annum.

I do a couple of short journeys each day, and each month have in the region of £100, log every single mile you'll be surprised.

 

[stevelev]

i dont suppose anyone knows where i can find cast iron info i can take to work with me and produce from a good source? eg a offical website stating something about clothing to be supplied at a certain temp etc? i would show them this but they prob wont accept it lol

HSE LEAFLET

OUTDOOR WORKING

CLOTHING

MILEGAE