In case of frost and ice – How to find winter-proof workwear for your employees

Protective, warm work wear is even more important for employees in winter than it is during the other seasons. Frequent changes from warm to cold and back again can be overwhelming for the human body. We show you what to look for.

Waterproof clothing for every season

Your employees who work in the car wash itself and are not just behind the counter, should be able to wear waterproof work clothes in all seasons. Whether you prefer trousers or dungarees, rain jackets or functional jackets is up to you. In winter, however, when the temperatures are low, you should make sure that the clothing designed to protect you from the wet also sufficiently protects against the cold. Garments that have a removable warm quilted lining are ideal. This cannot only be washed when needed, but also removed and stored at warmer temperatures.
As soon as your employees pre-wash your customers' vehicles with the high-pressure cleaner, they get wet. That cannot be avoided. Accordingly, it is important that they are wrapped in waterproof clothing from head to toe.
 

Suitable for every temperature

If you have employees who work both in the car wash and at the counter, you can kit them out with lined wet weather jackets that are easy to open with a zipper. Your employees can easily take them off and hang them up when they are in the warm, and only put them back on when they step out into the freezing temperatures. In this way they do not sweat too much behind the counter. If this sweat cools down outside at low temperatures, it can cause a cold.
 

Protection for head, hands and feet

Working with water at low temperatures can cool down extremities in particular. Therefore, your hands and feet should be protected with waterproof, lined boots and gloves, and you should provide your employees with hats outside. This ensures they stay well protected despite the winter weather. Make sure that the boots have a sufficiently deep tread so that your employees do not slip when it's icy and snowy.
 

Visibility in winter is important

In winter, the days are short, and whoever takes their car for a wash after finishing work, arrives at the car wash in the dark. Therefore it is important for the safety of your employees that you provide them with work clothes with reflectors: The stripes reflect brightly in the light of the headlights, letting drivers know where people are. Especially when the work clothes are in muted colors, this point is especially important.
 

Summary: Warm, dry and noticeable

When deciding which work wear is right for your car wash staff in winter, you should focus on three points:

• Your employees should stay dry under the protective clothing.
• Thanks to sufficient lining, they should also be pleasantly warm outside.
• Reflective stripes on the clothing ensure that your employees are still visible even in the dark.