Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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New specification for intelligent clothing is published
BSI, the business standards company, has published PAS 10412, Intelligent clothing - LED active high visibility clothing - Specification, sponsored by the Taiwan Textile Research Institute.
When workers operate in areas where there is little or no light, they must be visible to each other and their environment. In the absence of light, high visibility clothing may not be seen, or available light may not be sufficient to reflect or charge the luminescent parts of the clothing.
In this instance the use of active lighting such as LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology is essential; however, currently there is no existing specification to standardise the quality of LED technology that is used in conjunction with high visibility workwear.
PAS 10412 was developed using a consensus-based approach with international stakeholders from academia and the textiles, lighting, PPE (personal protective equipment), high visibility clothing and safety wear industries. The Taiwan Textile Research Institute was particularly concerned for the safety of Taiwan's traffic police and it has been recognised that such a specification would be of global benefit to others who need to be seen if they are to be safe.
"The workplace is not the only environment in which individuals should be kept safe," argues Anne Hayes, head of market development for Governance & Risk at BSI. "Anybody who is operating in dim or dark situations where they might face a hazard, should feel confident that the clothing they are wearing will make them visible.
"Having a specification that shows that the LED technology in high visibility clothing is working and meets standard requirements goes a long way towards building confidence."
What PAS 10412 covers:
- Requirements for high visibility clothing conforming to EN ISO 20471* incorporating active lighting via LEDs
- LED modules that are permanently attached to high visibility clothing
- LED lighting fixtures with a removable battery-controller set and LEDs measuring between 2mm and 20 mm in diameter
- Clothing designed for temperatures falling between -30°C and 50°C which is applicable to use in professional or civil situations
- Requirements for the luminous intensity of the LED lighting fixture
- measurement
17th December 2015