News, standards and AI for protective clothing

Mr. Kuntze, how is the market for PPE developing?

The demand from our rental service customers continues to be solid. Demand for PPE is consistently high in the construction and industrial sectors. One reason for this is the strict work regulations. The employers' liability insurance associations take great care to ensure that people are wearing protective workwear when carrying out high-risk activities. Welding work in normal workwear made from a cotton-polyester blend is carried out much less frequently today than it was a few years ago. Companies have become more aware of the issue and providing employees with protective clothing is a relevant topic. The fact that innovative items with improved wearer comfort are available today is a positive factor.

PPE and comfort - large stretch sections are very popular with professionals when it comes to non-standardized workwear. Is stretch also used in PPE?

Yes, flexible materials such as stretch are on the rise in PPE. This is in demand in movement-intensive areas such as trade, logistics and construction. For example, special stretch fabrics are used for certified high-visibility clothing and welding protection, including flame-retardant fabrics. Example: The DBL welding protection collection offers greater wearer comfort thanks to stretch inserts on the side of the waistband. And the jackets also have stretch sections in the underarm area. This does not reduce the desired level of safety, otherwise the collection items would not be certified. But there are also limits to the use of stretch. For example, in the case of chemical protective clothing. Re-impregnation, which is common for reusable chemical protective clothing, must be adapted to the special properties of the stretch material. The process is technically demanding, as the impregnation must maintain both the elasticity and the protective effect. Such knitted fabrics are difficult to impregnate and therefore do not achieve the desired protective effect.

Let's move on to current standards - is there any news here that is relevant for companies?

Yes, there is a comparatively new standard in the area of increased visibility that is much discussed. This is clothing that has been certified in accordance with DIN EN 17353. It is intended to ensure that employees who do not wear high-visibility protection in accordance with DIN EN ISO 20471 are also more visible. The recently added standard is intended to supplement this. However, the difference is that it is only intended for use in "medium risk" situations. The standard is therefore particularly intended for situations in which the aim is to improve visibility, but not necessarily to provide direct protection against life-threatening risks. In concrete terms, this means that what was initially used here as design elements such as reflective piping or piping, for example a black shirt with reflective piping, is now subject to a standard.

Where do you see the challenges for protective clothing with this standard?

There is criticism that DIN EN 17353 could cause confusion, as employers have to differentiate between two similar standards. There are also concerns that it will be used to save costs when DIN EN ISO 20471 would actually be required. So it remains to be seen whether the new standard will prevail on the market. In the rental service, we advise our customers and find the best possible solution for them, which is the most suitable and practical clothing for their employees.

Let's move on to the topic of smart textiles and AI in PPE - are there any future-proof innovations here?

There are currently numerous research projects on the subject of smart textiles and very different developments. For example, integrated sensors for vital signs monitoring, heatable protective clothing or warning systems with LED technology. These will certainly arrive in the PPE sector in the near future - this is not yet the case in the practice of textile rental services.

Artificial intelligence is a different matter. The use of AI in industrial laundry, including in the care of PPE, is developing rapidly. There are now AI-controlled scanners and image processing systems that carry out automated pocket checks. They detect foreign objects such as pens, tools or electronic devices in clothing pockets before the garments enter the washing process. In practice, this means that in future, employees will no longer have to manually reach into the pockets of workwear or PPE. This can be unpleasant under certain circumstances or even pose a risk of injury. The use of AI will not only play a role in incoming goods inspection, but also in sorting. Intelligent sorting systems with RFID technology and camera systems automatically recognize the type of clothing and assign it to the correct washing process. This is particularly important when reprocessing certified PPE to ensure that the correct washing program is carried out precisely, the PPE is not damaged and the item retains its impregnation. Today, AI systems analyze data such as the degree of soiling, fabric type and PPE classification. They then automatically adjust the temperature, dosage and washing time to achieve optimum results. These developments have already been put into practice.

DBL - Deutsche Berufskleider-Leasing, http://www.dbl.de