Cintas Survey Reveals Inconsistencies with Protective Apparel Care and Maintenance Habits in Canada

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario

Cintas Canada, Ltd. today released a report titled, “Protective Apparel Maintenance Needs to Be a Top Priority with Safety Professionals.” The report summarizes the results of a survey of 100 safety professionals conducted at the Partners in Prevention 2015 Health and Safety Conference & Trade Show in April. The results shed light on garment care and maintenance habits in Canada and reveal inconsistencies that could put workers at risk of an injury.

Apparel such as high visibility and flame resistant clothing is designed to help protect workers against hazards such as low-light work environments, flash fires, and arc flash incidents. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide workers with the appropriate garments, as well as ensure proper maintenance, care and replacement when necessary.

“In order to protect the integrity and efficacy of protective apparel, it must be cleaned and maintained properly,” said Dave Rehm, Regional Manager of Protective Apparel, Cintas Canada, Ltd. “However, the survey results show that many organizations throughout Canada are not following the best practices outlined by the Canadian Standards Association – (CSA Z96) ‘High-Visibility Safety Apparel,’ and CSA Z462 ‘Workplace Electrical Safety.’”

For Example:

• The survey revealed substantial inconsistencies with laundering habits amongst respondents. Less than half of respondents (46 percent) said their protective apparel is laundered weekly and more than a quarter (27 percent) said their protective apparel is laundered “as needed.”
• Thirty percent of respondents said they regularly or sometimes use fabric softeners, chlorine bleach, oxidizers and dryer sheets when laundering protective apparel – items that standards for home laundering specifically note should not be used when cleaning protective apparel.
• Only 49 percent of respondents reported having to return worn-out garments to their employer. By not requiring employees to return worn-out protective apparel, employers run the risk of employees wearing garments that may not perform as intended.

“Careful inspections and proper maintenance of protective apparel will improve worker safety and extend the life of the garment,” added Rehm. “The survey results suggest that managers need to improve their protective apparel maintenance programs to better protect workers and provide a safe working environment.”

To obtain a copy of the survey report, visit the Cintas booth (#604) at the Canadian Society of Engineering Professional Development Conference, Sept. 20-23, 2015 in Ottawa.

For more information on Cintas products and services, please visit www.cintas.ca or call 1-800-CINTAS1.

Pursuant to federal and provincial Occupational Health and Safety legislation an employer bears sole responsibility for selecting the type(s) of personal protective equipment to be used by its employees. All purchasers of FRC garments and/or laundering services from Cintas bear full responsibility for selecting the PPE appropriate for use by their employees. Cintas makes no representation, warranty, or covenant with respect to the flame-resistant qualities of the garments or with respect to the fitness or suitability of the garments for any particular use or purpose. The purchase of any goods or service from Cintas is subject to Cintas’ Standard Terms and Conditions and/or any other applicable written contract executed between the purchaser and Cintas relating to such purchase.

About Cintas Canada, Ltd.

Cintas Canada Ltd., with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario is a subsidiary of Cintas Corporation. Cintas Canada designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning services to approximately 55,000 businesses in Canada. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

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Mulberry Marketing Communications
Christina Alvarez, 312-664-1532
calvarez@mulberrymc.com