7 Reasons to Choose EU Manufactured FR ARC Workwear
Find out how EU Manufactured HAZTEC® FR ARC Workwear can benefit your Company
Preface
Whilst reading this article, please note that the core product line to which we refer is HAZTEC® Flame Resistant and ARC Flash Workwear. Workwear that is Flame Resistant only is classed as CAT II PPE, whilst workwear that offers protection against ARC Flash Hazards is CAT III – this higher level of protection requires additional Quality Control Procedures during production to ensure 100% consistency of each and every finished article.
Read on to find out why we believe EU Manufactured HAZTEC® FR ARC Workwear can benefit your company.
The Basics
Flame Resistant and ARC Flash garments are designed to provide a high level of wearer protection in some of the most dangerous working environments and applications, to increase the chances of workers surviving potentially fatal accidents.
To ensure you provide your team with FR ARC Workwear that offers the highest level of protection, you should ensure that the finished product is correctly CE certified (and for UK clients, now also UKCA marked) – and manufactured with fabric and components that are traceable, tested, certified and quality assessed in accordance with the original product certification.
It is a requirement of the Certification process that each and every product that is produced matches the original CE/UKCA certification. These are the basic rules of any PPE Certification that ensures that in the event of an accident or product recall, the original source of each component or process in a product is traceable and any defect identified.
These foundational principles ensure that PPE products available on the market are safe to use and protect as they are designed to.
7 Reasons Why
1. Transparent supply chains
Having the assurance of a transparent and documented manufacturing process is the first step in providing protection for your staff. Knowing that the fabric and components that make up your technical workwear are certified by EU bodies, gives you an authenticity guarantee.
Technical workwear, and in particular Category III Arc Flash Workwear, that does not have traceable fabric or components will likely not be compliant with EU and UK PPE Regulations.
All companies are responsible for their team’s safety and it is in your interest to ensure PPE is correctly marked and produced in accordance with traceable supply chains to provide a high level of safety.
2. Consistent production
HAZTEC® FR ARC workwear is produced in the EU, with an Inline quality control system and an auditing process known as either Module D (previously Article 11B), or Module C2 (previously Article 11A).
These QC systems are audited by a 3rd party company, ensuring each garment meets the original specification of the CE certificate and is consistent in design and functionality.
3. Shorter lead times
The time taken for a product to be produced and shipped to our UK location from the EU is much less than those lead times from the Asian continent.
EU manufacturing allows us to have product on our shelves in as little as 4-5 weeks from the start of the process, and in some circumstances, or for product trials we have been able to produce garments in as little as 2 weeks.
Specifying EU CE certified technical workwear means you can get what you need, when you need it, with fewer instances of ‘out of stock’, making sure your team never have to wait as long for their technical workwear.
4. EU fabrics & components are premium quality
Fabrics and components sourced from the EU are of premium quality and are tested to ensure that the garments that they go on to be part of, have the protection levels needed to comply with European and UK standards.
Arc test data, azo dye analysis, flame spread test data, heat resistance and seam strength, are just some of the tests completed by EU and UK test laboratories, to verify the proper functioning of these technical fabrics and components.
Any hi-visibility garments that use EN ISO 20471 certified fabric is also tested and verified in the EU, to ensure their reflective properties last up to 50 washes (on many of our garments), protecting your team for longer.
5. Europe for skilled manufacturing
Europe have a well-established reputation as a leader in technical workwear manufacturing, with skilled workforces and capacity allocated to produce high quality garments with more features.
This historic manufacturing capability allows HAZTEC® design elements such as triple stitching, additional details and product design which in turn benefits the wearer by making the garments more durable and long lasting.
6. EU do not allow workforce exploitation
EU factories, abide by the ‘European convention of human rights’, which does not permit slavery or forced labour of any kind.
7. Net Zero Goals are More Achievable
Fabrics and components sourced, tested and put together in Europe, only have to be transported a minimal distance to reach the UK.
With a shorter transport distance, less greenhouse gas emissions are produced, aiding in the collective journey towards net zero.
Buy safely with Hazchem
Here at HAZCHEM, our priority is to provide high quality, EU Manufactured FR ARC Workwear with CE/UKCA Certification such as our range of FR AS ARC HI-VIS garments
Expert Production and thorough Quality Control ensures HAZTEC FR ARC can withstand the hard work your team puts in, as well as repeated washing, ensuring your Hi-Vis garments, like the ‘HAZTEC® Nemba FR AS ARC Hi-Visibility Coverall’ remain bright and suitably protective.
The HAZCHEM online store features information you need to know including: Certifications, Specifications, as well as accurate Images, Size Options and more. We aim to provide you with all the information you need as a Health & Safety Officer because we are confident in our products and the efforts we have made to ensure Traceability and Excellent Quality.
If you have any questions about any of our products, please do not hesitate to contact us.