What Should I Consider When Buying Work Pants?
In every profession, there are different sources of danger. Work pants are meant to protect you from injuries. Additionally, you must wear work pants if your employer requires it. If you want to buy work pants, you need to find out beforehand if there are specific requirements and standards needed for your job. Of course, you should not neglect your own demands on your work clothing.
What Material Should Work Pants Be Made Of?
Work pants can generally be made from two different materials:
- Cotton: Natural fiber with very good wearing properties. It is used with the best results in many areas of occupational safety. Fabrics such as twill, heavy twill, and more are produced.
- Blended Fabric: In workwear, blended fabrics are mainly used in the ratios of approximately 65% polyester and 35% cotton or 40% polyester and 60% cotton. The advantage of blended fabric lies in its longer lifespan, better color fastness, and good residual shrinkage values.
What Standards Exist for Work Clothing?
An overview of the most important standards:
| Standard | Description |
|---|---|
| EN ISO 13688 | General requirements for protective clothing |
| EN 342/EN 14058 | Protection against cold |
| EN 343 | Weather protection clothing |
| EN 381 | Protective clothing for users of hand-held chainsaws |
| EN 369 | Chemical protective clothing |
| EN 13034 Type 6 | Protective clothing against chemicals |
| EN 14126 | Protective clothing against biological hazards |
| EN ISO 11611 | Protective clothing for welders |
| EN 471/ISO 20471 | High-visibility clothing |
| EN 531 | Protective clothing for industrial workers |
| EN 533/EN 470 | Protective clothing against heat and fire |
| EN 1149-5 | Protection against electrostatic discharge |
What Does the Gram Weight in Work Pants Mean?
The gram weight, such as 250g/m², describes the density of the work pants, meaning the material weight of the work pants. If the number is higher, then the pants are generally more robust and durable than pants with a lower gram weight. A high density of the work pants naturally also restricts their wearing comfort.