Sector guide · Utilities
Utilities crews share the same holes in the same pavements, but the energy inside the hole writes three different clothing specs: arc ratings for electricity, flame resistance for gas, and hygiene-plus-waterproofing for water. The streetworks baseline is common; the protective layer is discipline-specific.
The sector
The shared baseline is streetworks: work on or beside highways means hi-vis to the network's rules — Class 2 minimum, Class 3 on faster roads — plus S3 boots, helmets and weather kit, because network faults are found in the rain that caused them. Signing, lighting and guarding competence comes with its own training; the clothing rules ride alongside.
The overlays: electricity network work brings IEC 61482 arc-rated garments — often as everyday wear for authorised staff, not just task kit — with ratings and layering set by each operator's policies. Gas network work brings FR with antistatic performance for live-gas environments. Water and wastewater swaps energy for biology: waterproofs, S5 wellingtons for wet chambers, gauntlets and hygiene discipline against sewage contact, with confined-space equipment employer-issued per entry procedures.
Kit by network
| Network | The kit that matters | The spec detail |
|---|---|---|
| All streetworks | Class 2–3 hi-vis, S3 boots, weather layers | The shared baseline, per network rules |
| Electricity | Arc-rated garments and layers | IEC 61482 — operator policy sets ratings |
| Gas | FR + antistatic garments | EN 1149-5 joins the FR base |
| Water & wastewater | Waterproofs, S5 wellingtons, gauntlets | Hygiene rules after sewage contact |
| Metering & domestic visits | Smart embroidered kit, bump caps | EN 812 for lofts, cellars and voids |
Management notes
Questions
The protective layer: electricity network staff wear arc-rated (IEC 61482) garments against arc-flash energy, while gas network staff wear flame-resistant kit with antistatic (EN 1149-5) performance against ignition in live-gas environments. The streetworks hi-vis baseline underneath is the same.
Because network faults don't schedule themselves — many operators specify arc-rated garments as everyday uniform for authorised staff so the protection is simply always on, rather than relying on someone changing clothes before an emergency switching operation. The operator's policy sets the required ratings.
Streetworks hi-vis and S3 boots as baseline, with waterproofs and S5 safety wellingtons for chamber and wet-well work, gauntlets and strict hygiene routines around sewage, and employer-issued confined-space equipment where entries happen. The biology, not the voltage, is the hazard being dressed for.
Send the roles and headcount — we'll come back with a kit list per role, embroidered and priced.