Having a need for safety garments means you will need to make a choice between using protective shirts and pants or a one-piece coverall. Safety should always be the main concern. From there, however, it depends on your personal preferences, cost, and practicality. The reality is that both suits and separates are effective, but it really depends on your particular situation.

Which Option Will Keep You Safe?

Both choices come in a variety of different fabrics making them suitable for different jobs, but one-piece suits do offer slightly more in terms of coverage. Protective shirts often lift away from the tops of the pants giving particulate matter and other substances access to your skin and clothing. Coveralls give you the option of having elastic cuffs on the pant legs as well as the sleeves. Separates do come with this same option, however the collars and bottoms of the tops do not.

Comfort Considerations

All-in-one suits offer more protection because there are no gaps, however this can also make them uncomfortable. The combined outfit is easier to put on, but it restricts your movement. If the outfit is too small, this problem becomes all too apparent. Protective shirts and pants move differently from each other allowing you the space for reaching and bending.

One common solution to this problem is choosing larger sizes. This is acceptable in some jobs, but it can be a life-threatening mistake if you will be working with equipment that has moving parts. When coveralls are too large, the material bunches and hangs in the way. This is uncomfortable, but it can also be caught in the machines pulling your body in with it.

Financial Considerations

Sometimes one area of your clothing has to work harder to protect you than the rest of your safety garments. When reaching into a small space, for example, you may notice that the sleeves need replacing way before the rest of the suit. When spraying for weeds or insects, you may need to change because the legs of the outfit wear out faster than the rest of your outfit. In both of these situations, separates may be the best option because you only need to pay for the half you are using rather than an entire suit.

Certain projects may only require that you use partial protection. In this instance, purchasing a full suit would be a poor use of money and materials. On the other hand, some situations may require you to change your entire outfit repeatedly. This makes one piece suits a better option since it is often cheaper to buy a set of coveralls rather than buying each piece separately.

Safety apparel absolutely needs to satisfy the requirements of the project above all else. This is often the easiest to determine. Comfort and financial considerations often take a little more insight into the project. Disposable coveralls or protective shirts and pants can have a big impact on how easy a job is to complete as well as on your budget.