Sector guide · Quarrying & aggregates
A quarry compresses three of workwear's hardest problems into one site: vehicles the size of houses with blind spots to match, respirable crystalline silica in the dust of almost every process, and weather that arrives unbroken across an open pit. The kit list follows those three, in that order.
The sector
Plant first: dump trucks, loading shovels and excavators at quarry scale have blind spots measured in metres, which is why Class 3 hi-vis is the sector default and site rules commonly demand it in two-piece form (jacket plus trousers) so visibility survives jacket-off summer work. Segregation and vehicle marshalling do the heavy lifting; the clothing is the last line.
Dust second, and most seriously: cutting, crushing, screening and drilling stone releases respirable crystalline silica — the exposure behind silicosis — and the RPE answer is FFP3 (or better, powered hoods for all-day exposure), fit-tested, alongside the water suppression and cab filtration that do the primary control. Eye protection and hearing protection zones follow the same processes around crushers and screens.
Weather third: an open pit offers nothing between the face and the weighbridge, so layering systems, EN 343 shells in hi-vis, and UV-season kit aren't comfort items — they're what keeps twelve-month operations staffed. Washplant and lagoon work adds S5 wellingtons; S3 boots with ankle support handle the haul roads and stockpiles everywhere else.
Kit by role
| Role | The kit that matters | The spec detail |
|---|---|---|
| Face & plant operators | Class 3 two-piece hi-vis, S3 boots | Cab work still badges through yards on foot |
| Crusher & screen crews | FFP3, eye and hearing protection | RCS is the exposure that ends careers |
| Washplant | Waterproofs, S5 wellingtons | The washable boot logic |
| Weighbridge & gate | Hi-vis with weather layers | Static outdoor work — insulation over breathability |
| Maintenance & fitters | Fitted kit, cut gloves, task RPE | EN 388 on wire ropes and wear plates |
Management notes
Questions
The standard site set — helmet, Class 3 hi-vis (often two-piece), S3 boots, gloves — plus process-driven additions: FFP3 respiratory protection around silica-generating operations, hearing protection in designated zones, and eye protection at crushers and screens. Each site's rules and health surveillance define the specifics.
Respirable crystalline silica particles scar lung tissue permanently — silicosis is progressive, incurable and dose-driven, and quarry processes (drilling, crushing, screening, cutting) generate exactly the particle sizes that reach deep lung. Water suppression and enclosed cabs lead the control; fit-tested FFP3 covers what remains.
Class 3 as the practical default, frequently as jacket-and-trouser combinations so compliance survives when jackets come off — the plant is enormous, operators sit high, and ground staff visibility is the margin. Site traffic rules state the requirement; expect it enforced at induction.
Send the roles and headcount — we'll come back with a kit list per role, embroidered and priced.