How uvex improved PPE comfort and wellbeing at a major UK food manufacturing site

The site had been experiencing ongoing issues with its existing safety footwear provision.

Employees were reporting significant discomfort while wearing their safety footwear, resulting in increasing referrals to Occupational Health and growing concerns about the impact on workforce wellbeing. In some cases, discomfort was contributing to absences from the shop floor, creating operational disruption and productivity loss.

The organisation also recognised that many employees had never received guidance on selecting footwear that properly matched their individual foot shape and workplace requirements.

Alongside footwear concerns, the business wanted to review hand protection solutions to improve comfort and skin compatibility in a demanding food manufacturing environment.

The challenge was clear: move beyond a one-size-fits-all PPE strategy and develop a more personalised approach that balanced protection, comfort and long-term wearability.

Rather than recommending a straightforward product replacement, uvex adopted a consultative approach focused on understanding the underlying causes of employee dissatisfaction.

A key element of the project was the introduction of uvex Fit Clinics, enabling employees to receive individual assessments and recommendations based on their specific requirements.

Following these assessments, uvex introduced a range of footwear solutions, including:

• uvex 1 G2 for employees with specific foot conditions or comfort requirements
• uvex 2 safety footwear for broader workforce deployment
• Additional footwear options for ongoing evaluation and future implementation

By matching footwear selection to individual needs, the site was able to improve both comfort and suitability across different employee groups.

uvex also introduced advanced glove technologies designed to enhance wearer comfort while maintaining high levels of protection.

Products trialled included:

• uvex Bamboo TwinFlex D SG
• uvex Bamboo TwinFlex F uXT1

The gloves were evaluated by employees working in production environments, with positive feedback supporting wider adoption.

As the partnership developed, the site began reviewing additional PPE categories, including hearing protection. Product trials and discussions are ongoing as the organisation explores opportunities to further enhance wearer comfort and compliance across its PPE programme.

The project was delivered through close collaboration between uvex, the customer and Rubix.

The process included:

• Initial consultation and site engagement
• On-site demonstrations of uvex Fit Clinic methodology
• Workplace assessments examining floor conditions, contaminants and operating environments
• Cross-functional engagement with Health & Safety, Occupational Health and Procurement teams
• Product trials across footwear and glove categories
• Individual fit assessments to validate product suitability and improve wearer acceptance

This collaborative approach ensured that PPE decisions were informed by both technical requirements and employee feedback.

Employees fitted with more appropriate safety footwear reported significant improvements in comfort and support and the site experienced a reduction in foot-related complaints and a corresponding decrease in Occupational Health interventions.

By addressing the root causes of discomfort, the organisation reduced time lost to footwear-related issues and improved workforce availability on the production floor.

Employee feedback on the uvex footwear programme was overwhelmingly positive, helping to improve morale and increase confidence in PPE provision.

The personalised nature of the Fit Clinics also demonstrated a visible commitment to employee wellbeing.

The glove trials were successfully completed, resulting in approval for use within the facility and creating opportunities to expand the relationship into additional PPE categories.

Through its technical expertise, consultative approach and ongoing support, uvex established itself as a trusted PPE partner for the site. The business now engages uvex whenever PPE challenges arise, recognising the value of evidence-based product selection and wearer-focused solutions.