PPE for the rail industry
Trust uvex to keep you on track PPE for the rail industry

Making a difference in the rail industry

Health and safety is an important part of any business, but particularly so in the rail sector, which is classed as a high-risk industry. Rail workers are exposed to a vast range of workplace hazards, including slips, trips and falls, musculoskeletal injuries, exposure to high-voltage electricity, fatigue, unsociable working hours and moving plant vehicles. Often, workers must also work in difficult conditions such as confined spaces and adverse weather conditions as well as maintaining and operating various types of machinery and heavy-duty equipment – all of which could prove life threatening if proper training and equipment is not provided.

Key hazards faced by workers in the rail industry

Rail workers operate in a high-risk environment and are exposed to a wide range of hazards, including:

Key hazards faced by workers in the rail industry
  • Slips, trips and falls – often due to uneven terrain, ballast, or weather conditions.
  • Musculoskeletal injuries – from manual handling or repetitive tasks.
  • High-voltage electricity – especially for those working near overhead lines or substations.
  • Fatigue and unsociable hours – shift work and long hours can impair alertness.
  • Moving plant and vehicles – including trains, maintenance vehicles, and heavy machinery.
  • Confined spaces and poor weather – which can reduce visibility and increase physical strain.
  • Working at height – such as on bridges, gantries, or elevated track sections.

Approximately 250,000 people work in the UK rail sector

There are over 1.5 billion journeys on the National Rail network every year

The UK has the 17th largest railway network in the world
 

Head-to-toe solutions from uvex

uvex PPE is designed with wearer comfort, durability, and safety in mind. Our products often exceed regulatory standards and incorporate sustainable manufacturing practices. This not only protects workers but also contributes to long-term health, wellbeing, and productivity.

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As a European manufacturer with high in-house production, we consider the environmental impact of all our processes and place high value on the responsible use of resources, people and protection techniques to ensure minimal environmental impact. Our quality standards exceed the most stringent requirements and thanks to our universal quality management system, all our factories are certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2000.

Head protection for working at height and falling objects

Workers on the railways are exposed to a number of hazards, including working at height, working with electricity, and working with moving equipment. Industrial safety helmets from uvex comply with standard DIN EN 397, which states that they must be designed to protect the wearer from falling objects. Protection against mechanical impacts to the head safeguards the user against possible consequences such as brain injuries or skull fractures. The standard also includes protection against lateral deformation of the helmet, as well as protecting the wearer from dangerous head injuries. With a fully enclosed helmet shell and certification in accordance with EN 50365 (1,000 Volt AC), the uvex pheos E-WR is ideally suited to electrical work.

Whether you need safety glasses, goggles, over specs or prescription glasses, uvex have developed a range of safety eyewear solutions which meet the highest quality standards. Our close-fitting specs are ideal for working in confined spaces, as well as our wraparound and frameless options. All uvex eyewear delivers edge to edge crystal clear clarity with 100% UV protection.

uvex supravision plus lens coating

Lenses coated with uvex supravision plus have long lasting anti-fog properties on both sides (at least 30 seconds, norm requires 8 seconds), and are scratch-resistant and anti-static. The anti-fog coating is permanent, even after being cleaned several times.

Welding eyewear

Accurate recognition of signal colours is paramount for safety and efficiency within the UK rail industry. uvex safety eyewear lens tints are specifically designed not to affect the perception of critical signal colours (red, yellow, green). This ensures that wearers can clearly and correctly identify signals, maintaining the highest levels of safety and operational effectiveness, regardless of the lighting conditions. Choosing uvex safety eyewear provides peace of mind that colour recognition will not be compromised, contributing to a safer railway environment.

Tinted lenses

Safety goggles

Choice of lens tints

Properly tinted safety eyewear can have a dramatic effect on the wearer’s vision, comfort and energy levels as well as concentration and productivity. Contrast-enhancing tints significantly improve depth perception with full signal colour recognition guaranteed.

Reliable UV protection

Working outside for long hours increases your exposure to damaging ultraviolet rays, even on cloudy days. uvex which stands for UltraViolet EXclusion is unique to the rest of the safety eyewear market in that it offers UV400 as standard across its entire range.

Permanent lens coatings

uvex is the world leader in lens coating technology, delivering coatings that are permanently bonded to the lens and so do not wash or wear off, even after extended wear or repeated cleaning. With a range of coatings available, uvex is able to offer the right solution for your working environment.

Safety glasses with prescription lenses

uvex is able to provide a choice of metal, plastic and wraparound frame styles in single vision, bi-focal or varifocal for safety or office use. Scratch-resistant lens coatings are supplied as standard and frames from uvex come with a two year guarantee for accidental damage and wear and tear. We are able to offer a prescription service to suit your needs whether you are a large or small organisation, in one or multiple locations.

Safety gloves featuring reliable cut and needlestick protection

Working outdoors in a variety of temperatures and unforgiving conditions means your hands are exposed to some of the toughest working conditions. We use our hands all day, every day; at work and at home, making them deserving of the best possible protection. Working with sharp materials requires high cut protection that you can rely on, without compromising on comfort or dexterity. Our range of safety gloves is subject to the most stringent control measures to ensure first-class quality, comfort, and protection for almost any workplace hazard.

High-flex impact protection

Our lineup of impact-resistant gloves feature cutting-edge technologies to swiftly absorb and redistribute energy away from the hand and fingers during an impact, while simultaneously offering comfort and dexterity. Find out more

Glove maintenance tips

Follow these tips on how to care for and maintain your uvex mechanical safety gloves hygienically and safely, making sure you remove them correctly and wash and store them effectively.

Industry-leading Needlestick Protection

uvex have a range of safety gloves featuring needle resistant SuperFabric® with layered guard plates that arrest, trap and block needles. Find out more

Robust safety footwear for protection from slips, trips and falls

Working underground, on uneven surfaces or in all-weather conditions means you need safety footwear you can rely on to help protect from slips, trips and falls that could lead to serious injuries. Designed specifically for tough, outdoor environments our safety boots feature broad soles and deep treads for excellent stability and protection, as well as waterproof materials, metal-free options, and reflective elements for visibility. Manufactured in our factory in Italy, uvex safety footwear is also incredibly comfortable to wear thanks to lightweight designs and carefully chosen breathable materials, and also has a highly effective shock absorption system that reduces the strains placed on the body when on your feet all day.

uvex footwear fit clinics

The uvex fit clinics support employees with the correct fitting of safety footwear and ensures employees find the correct size (length) and width for their boots or shoes.

Footwear maintenance tips

Follow these tips on how to care for and maintain your uvex safety shoes and boots, making sure you store them effectively and check regularly for faults, damage, or wear and tear.

A simple guide to EN ISO 20345:2022

EN ISO 20345:2022 includes several key changes to help health & safety professionals ensure they are purchasing the products they need.

Easy-to-use hearing protection

Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise may result in people suffering gradual hearing loss, which may only be apparent later in life, and is permanent and irreversible. Hearing damage may also result from sudden, extremely loud noises. Such incidents may cause temporary hearing loss but could also cause longer lasting or permanent hearing damage. A noisy working environment also impairs communication, while the safety of operations may be affected if personnel involved are unable to hear safety alarms. Working outdoors in challenging weather conditions can expose workers to high winds which make it difficult to hear, so it is vital that railroad workers wear appropriate hearing protection.


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