The UK’s Textile Services Association (TSA) is the trade body representing commercial laundries and textile suppliers. Many of its members have specialist expertise in PPE, supplying, managing and maintaining protective workwear for a variety of industries and the healthcare sector. Here Shyju Skariah, Director of Programmes and Projects at the TSA, considers the issues.
These days there is a huge variety of personal protective equipment (PPE) available in industry and healthcare to protect workers and the public. From hi-vis jackets for civil engineers, to garments designed to guard against hazardous chemicals in factories, to PPE to protect doctors and patients in healthcare, each has its own application and is manufactured specifically to meet that need. Typically these garments are constructed from fabrics which are formed by blending multiple fibres of natural or synthetic origin, which are then treated with chemicals by surface spraying, immersion or penetrative procedures to provide maximum protection and to enhance long-life functionality.