What regulations apply to work clothing?

Work clothing is not free from rules. Depending on the sector, profession and working environment, different regulations apply to what employees may and must wear. These regulations arise from the law, industry guidelines or the employer's own clothing policy.

In this article we explain the general regulations that apply to work clothing and the specific requirements for medical assistants.

Legal regulations: the Working Conditions Act

The basis for work clothing regulations lies in the Working Conditions Act, also known as the Working Conditions Act. This law obliges employers to ensure a safe working environment. If the work involves risks, the employer must provide personal protective equipment (PPE). Work clothing that is classified as PPE must meet the relevant CE standard and be provided free of charge to the employee.

Think about high visibility clothing (EN ISO 20471) for roadside work, flame retardant clothing (EN ISO 11612) for work near fire or anti-static clothing (EN 1149) for work with explosive substances. These standards are not optional: employers are obliged to ensure that employees wear certified clothing in risky situations.

Sector-specific regulations

In addition to the Working Conditions Act, additional regulations apply in many sectors from trade organizations, clients or collective labor agreements. In construction, the Safety and Health Plan (VGP) of a project determines which clothing is mandatory on the construction site. Hygienic standards apply in the food industry based on the HACCP guidelines. In healthcare, the WIP guidelines are leading for clothing and hygiene.

Employers can also impose additional dress codes themselves, for example a mandatory uniform or clothing in the company colors. As long as these regulations are reasonable and the costs are not unfairly passed on to the employee, this is permitted.

What regulations apply to work clothing for medical assistants?

Medical assistants work in an environment where hygiene and infection prevention are central. The work clothing must comply with the WIP guidelines for clothing in healthcare institutions. The most important requirements are: the clothing must be washable at a minimum of 60 degrees, preferably 85 degrees for industrial washing, must not have any jewelry or loose hanging accessories that pose a risk of infection and must be clean at the start of each shift.

Long sleeves are not permitted in many healthcare institutions during patient contact due to the risk of infection. Work clothing may not be worn outside the healthcare institution to prevent contamination of the outside environment. Color coding per function or department is the standard in many institutions to make employees immediately recognizable to patients and visitors.

Work clothing for medical assistants from Tricorp

Tricorp offers work clothing that meets the requirements for use in healthcare. It Polo shirt Redefined Industrial Washable and it T-shirt Redefined Industrial Washable are made of 55% organic cotton and 45% recycled polyester, industrially washable and available in multiple colors. This means that the work clothing meets the hygienic requirements and matches the color coding of the institution.