Hazchem Safety has developed compliant garments which are designed to meet drivers’ specific requirements. Brent Douglass, the company’s sales and marketing director, explains: “We stock a wide colour range and specification of Protal uniforms which are a safe and cost-effective alternative to some of the more traditional inherent fibres. As well as offering increased safety, Protal has none of the unpleasant smell, or the tendency to fade and shrink, associated with many of the treated garments. Styling and comfort are also important factors so we spent time establishing exactly what the industry was looking for.”

The accepted industry standard for head protection is the Iris2 helmet which offers integral eye protection and optional ear muffs. Some distributors have fallen foul of terminal regulations by choosing an alternative helmet which does offer eye protection but does not have the full lateral adjustment, giving rise to splash risk from a burst hose or coupling. A British manufactured alternative, the Spectrum, has just been launched by Hazchem Safety and is receiving significant interest with health and safety officers as the goggle meets the higher ‘B’ impact rating. www.hazchemsafety.co.uk