Is work clothing mandatory in healthcare?
Is work clothing mandatory in healthcare?
Do you know exactly which clothing rules apply in your department? And do you ever wonder whether those rules are actually mandatory? Work clothing in healthcare is not always legally required, but in practice strict guidelines apply almost everywhere.
Whether you work in a hospital, nursing home or home care: the dress codes are there for a reason. They protect both the healthcare provider and the patient. In this article we explain what the rules are, what you are not allowed to wear in healthcare and what you should pay attention to when choosing the right work clothing.
Legally required or not?
There is no general law that specifically requires healthcare workers to wear work clothing. However, there are legal frameworks that apply indirectly. The Working Conditions Act requires employers to provide a safe working environment, including hygiene and infection prevention measures.
In practice, this means that healthcare institutions themselves are responsible for drawing up a hygiene code with clothing regulations. The guidelines of the Infection Prevention Working Group (WIP) apply as the professional standard. They are not formally laws, but they are widely recognized and applied.
What are you not allowed to wear in healthcare?
Many healthcare institutions apply a clear hygiene code. The following things are generally not allowed:
• Rings, bracelets and watches: Jewelry around wrists and hands is difficult to keep clean and can harbor bacteria.
• Long nails and nail decorations: gel polish and fake nails pose a risk of transmitting microorganisms.
• Own clothing from home: this rarely meets the hygienic requirements that apply to direct care provision.
• Open shoes: not allowed from a safety point of view due to the risk of injury.
• Long sleeves in direct care: sleeves that cannot be rolled up are not desirable in many institutions.
The exact regulations differ per institution and department. Always consult your own employer's clothing policy.
Washing temperature: why 60 degrees counts
One of the most important requirements for work clothing in healthcare is the ability to wash at 60°C. This is the temperature needed to effectively kill bacteria and viruses. Clothing that cannot handle this quickly loses its usefulness in a professional healthcare environment.
Tricorp offers a wide range of work clothing that is washable at 60°C: from T-shirts and polo shirts to sweaters, both from the Redefined line as from the Originals and Comfort line. This means there is a suitable choice for every healthcare professional and every institution, regardless of the desired material, fit or budget.
Suitable work clothing for healthcare
Good work clothing for healthcare combines hygiene, comfort and freedom of movement. In many cases, a polo shirt or short-sleeved T-shirt is the standard outerwear.
The Polo shirt Redefined Industrial Washable and it T-shirt Redefined Industrial Washable are washable at 60°C and made of organic cotton and recycled polyester. Sturdy enough for daily use and resistant to intensive washing.
We believe it is important that women can work comfortably and that requires an adapted fit. It Polo shirt Redefined Ladies is a good example of this: washable at 60°C and with a fit specially designed for women.
Color coding in healthcare
Many healthcare institutions work with a color code for work clothing. This makes it immediately visible which position or department someone has. For example, nurses wear white or blue, while cleaning staff wear other colors. This strengthens recognisability in the workplace.
The choice of color always depends on the policy of the institution itself. Tricorp offers all necessary work clothing in a wide color palette, so that there is always a suitable option.
Customization: work clothing with your logo
Do you want to provide the work clothing with a company logo or name? Tricorp is the first point of contact for this type specials. The customization is carried out via a Tricorp dealer in your area.
Each team member wears recognizable and representative clothing, which strengthens the professional image of the healthcare institution. View all options on the page custom work clothing.