I'M A PLUMBER. WHAT IS THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT TO KEEP ME SAFE?

Did you know that every 19 minutes, plumbers and heating engineers have an accident (according to IRIS health and safety data for tradesmen)? Your protection is important!

In this article, you will find a presentation of the specific features of the plumbing trade. Parade will then give you its advice on choosing the best safety shoes and workwear for plumbers. Then you can read the testimonial of a plumber who explains his preferences for his work equipment. Finally, Parade has put together a selection of safety shoes and workwear that are perfectly suited to the job.

1. SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE JOB

The plumbing profession is a varied and comprehensive one. Plumbers can work alone or as part of a team on construction sites. They can work as self-employed craftsmen or as employees, but their protection is essential.

You need to be fit to be a plumber. Depending on their tasks, plumbers have to work in uncomfortable positions that put their backs, feet and hands to the test. What's more, they handle dangerous tools and carry heavy loads that put strain on their joints. In fact, plumbers are more exposed to musculoskeletal issues.
Given these factors, it is important to protect yourself.

2. THE IMPORTANCE OF PPE

Plumbers may have to deal with a number of critical situations during their working day, such as welding, handling dangerous tools, working at height or in a noisy and dangerous environment, etc. Plumbers must therefore be protected to avoid the risk of accidents.

They must wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Plumbers must protect their entire body: their head, eyes, chest, legs and feet. In this article, we'll be focusing on protection for the feet, legs and chest.

Protecting your feet

Our feet support the weight of our whole body and absorb shocks on contact with the ground. We don't pay much attention to them on a daily basis, but the feet are one of our body's most important mechanisms. So looking after your health also means looking after your feet!

That's why you need to choose the right safety shoes that not only protect your feet and keep them comfortable, but also keep your body healthy.

- First and foremost, a plumber's safety shoe must have a sole that is comfortable and also flexible and shock-absorbent. It's important that the soles are flexible because plumbers use different postures, particularly kneeling with bent feet. Advice from our expert: Anaïs, PARADE product manager; "As far as the sole material is concerned, in our collection Parade has EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or PU (polyurethane) (for the inner layer and rubber or PU for the outsole). The common advantages of PU and EVA are their lightness, flexibility and excellent shock absorption. What has a greater impact on the flexibility of safety footwear is the choice of material for the anti-puncture plate.”

- Wearing a safety shoe fitted with an anti-puncture plate is essential. A plumber's work environment can be dangerous, especially the floor. Sharp objects may be left on the ground. Located on the inside of your insole, this anti-puncture plate will protect the soles of your feet from any punctures. To meet the need for both protection and flexibility, we recommend "a fabric anti-puncture plate, also listed as "non-metallic" in the catalogue, which will be flexible when working in a crouched position, unlike a steel plate (metallic), which is a rather rigid plate."

- The safety toe cap also plays an undeniable role in your safety footwear, protecting your feet from dangerous falling objects (saws, drills, spanners, hammers, etc.). As for the choice of material, "There's no particular type of toe cap better than another: it can be made of steel, composite or polycarbonate. All these toe caps are suitable for the plumbing trade."

- Lastly, choose a safety shoe with a low shaft, because the different postures you adopt and the multiple flexions at the ankle mean that your foot will be more mobile and flexible.

In short, choose a shoe...

> With a PU or EVA sole, like all the shoes in the Parade range

> With a fabric anti-puncture plate

> With a low shaft for mobility around the ankle

> S1P*, breathable, suitable for indoor use.

The little extra:

Parade has developed several technologies to make its safety shoes even more comfortable. These include "VPS" technology, which supports the arch of the foot, reducing foot fatigue and providing undeniable comfort, particularly in prolonged static positions.

*S1P: dry working environment and hazardous flooring

See our selection of shoes below!

Protecting your legs

- Trousers: Work trousers must be made of solid materials that are resistant to wear and tear.

As plumbers are often on their knees, they need trousers that are reinforced in this area.

"Almost all our trousers have a 100% nylon knee reinforcement with high abrasion and tear resistance." What's more, trousers must be adapted to the work, with pockets for storing tools.

- Knee pads: Inserting knee pads in the pockets provided in your work trousers will help reduce and relieve knee pain. Parade has ANKARO trousers for men and AKABA trousers for women.

INTERVIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL - Adrien

What do you do?

I'm a plumber and heating engineer.

What do you wear on a daily basis (clothes, shoes and accessories)?

I generally wear work trousers from the "..." brand, which are practical thanks to their multiple pockets and places to slide in knee pads if necessary. I also wear safety shoes, a t-shirt and jumper with a light jacket in mid-season or a fleece in winter.

How do you choose your work clothes? What are the most important criteria you look for when choosing your workwear? (brand, quality, price, habits.)

If your work clothes are supplied by the company, what are their strengths and weaknesses?

My work clothes are provided by the company. However, our boss always asks us what's best for us before buying anything. He thinks it's important that we're comfortable in our clothes, that we're well protected and that our outfit matches and is clean. Of course, he's also careful to choose a quality product that will last as long as possible, so that he doesn't have to buy us more clothes too often.

What do you look for when choosing safety footwear? (comfort, lightness, price, style) If these are supplied by the company, what do you like or dislike about your shoes?

Our safety shoes are also provided by our employer, after we tried them and he asked our opinion. The emphasis is on comfort and lightness as well as flexibility, because feet can quickly become sore in poor-fitting safety footwear.

Are you looking for products that can protect you from the aches and pains your job can cause? For example, shoes that protect your back.

Ideally, yes, we always want to be as protected as possible, but we still need to be comfortable in our shoes and they shouldn't be too heavy.

Have you ever experienced a situation where your safety shoes protected your feet from a fall or puncture? Can you tell us about it?

Yes, I sometimes walk over screws that have not been picked up by the plasterer or carpenter who came before us, and I realise a little later that the screw has been embedded vertically in the sole. Fortunately our safety shoes are equipped with a reinforced sole. And I can't count the number of times I've had something fall on my toe, protected by the safety shell.

SELECTION OF PARADE EQUIPMENT

Shoes:

RAVIRA (unisex) - S1P- VPS

SLALUM (unisex) - S1P

VENICE (women) - S1P - VPS

JEINOU (men) - S1P - VPS

GAMMA (men) - S1P

GENOA (men) - S1P

Workwear

OGUSSA : Men's sleeveless down jacket with zip pockets for tools or pencils

OPOLE : a warm, comfortable fleece for men, with a high collar to keep your neck warm.

BRAKEL and BRASOV : work trousers with raised waistband and adjustable top. Trousers with multiple pockets: front, back, side, Velcro or zip, even your phone will have a dedicated place. Pockets for knee pads.

BOMBAY and BENXI : Work trousers and overalls with raised, adjustable waistbands. Numerous pockets: - Slanted front pockets, small zipped pocket with keyring above, tape measure pocket on the right with pen slot, large zipped front pocket on the left and phone pocket that rotates when bending down.

OISON : Warm, comfortable women's fleece with a high collar to keep the cold out.

OGNA : Women's sleeveless down jacket with multiple pockets.