Posted By Colin J They do not protect the wearer from harm therefore, I believe,that they are not PPE. Colin

Posted By Gilly Margrave Sorry that should have said "partner" G

Posted By B Smart Sorry, but I have to disagree with some of the opinions here. Chefs whites are PPE. The Jacket is at any rate,as are the steel toecaps which should be worn. The jacket not only protects the chef, it also protects the food from skin contamination. The jacket is made of a material, which is not too comfortable in a hot kitchen, but gives the chef protection against being burned when opening the oven, frying eggs or what ever and carrying hot trays etc... As for cleaning the whites it is the responsibility of the chef, however I remember as a chef I used to get some tax back after asking for it. Contact the Tax Man and see if the rules still apply.

Posted By Mark Bywater I'm not about to agree or disagree with any of my colleagues here but simply put forward a point of view from my own company. We manufacture sugar confectionery and the whites are classed as "hygiene clothing" not PPE. If any employee needs PPE for hot work, chemical agents etc then that is provided on top of the whites. The whites are seen as a method of protecting the product from contamination by humans, and a very large retail customer of ours with excessively high food hygiene standards agrees that point also. Safety shoes are mandatory in our factories anyway. Regards, Mark

Posted By al fitz Colin, conversely the following is taken from HSE information sheets. Catering Sheets; CAIS 9 : "Planning for health and safety when selecting and using catering equipment and workplaces". "Personal protective equipment (PPE) Even if other safeguards are already in place, staff may still need to wear PPE. You must identify these particular situations. Remember, PPE is the last resort, although sometimes PPE may be required as an interim measure, while other safeguards are being set up. You need to make sure that the type of PPE you select is correct for the type of risk, the member of staff involved and your particular work environment and that it is easy to clean and keep hygienic. You should make sure that PPE is stored properly and that it is maintained in good condition. Your PPE requirements are likely to include: • non-slip shoes where there is a slipping risk; • 100% cotton garments (for example, chef's whites) where there is a risk that the material garments are made of will aggravate burns in the event of a fire; • long sleeve vinyl gloves, goggles or visor, and protective respiratory equipment for staff who handle caustic cleaning substances; • there will also be other clothing which may be required for food hygiene reasons". Which as far as I can see contradicts Regulation 3 as it specifically identifies Chef's Whites as PPE.