THE SUPPLY LIFELINE TO THE FM SECTOR

Workers in the Support Services sector face a range of hazards and challenges as an inevitable element of their day to day role, with risks ranging from asbestos through to legionella, falls to fires, and more.

Because of this, having a reliable and trusted workwear and PPE provider is critical. At SMI, we've forged long-standing partnerships with our Support Services clients, partnering with them to collaborate on product development, customer service enhancement and systems improvement. This has led to us developing our service to respond directly to Support Services industry preferences and needs, streamlining our end-to-end purchasing process to make ordering from SMI simple, hassle-free and intuitive.

Grounds maintenance covers a wide array of activities, such as grass cutting, weeding, pruning, hedge cutting, parks cleansing (litter and bin clearance, etc.), and more.

Operatives cannot work without wearing the correct PPE, so selecting the most suitable safety gear and ensuring delivery is on time and in full is a must!

Technical services is the term used to describe FM services which are carried out by qualified professionals, such as engineers or mechanics. The scope of technical services is far-reaching and includes roles such as lift maintenance, repairs, plumbing and drainage, furniture, fittings, equipment maintenance, electrical services, utility management, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC), and much more!

As such, it comes as no surprise that the PPE and workwear requirements for such a sector are as broad as the industry itself. Fall arrest, head protection, high visibility clothing, safety eyewear, hand protection, hearing protection, safety footwear, and RPE may all be requirements, depending on the task at hand.

Lifts and escalators require installation (including associated builders-work and electrical work), maintenance, repair works, and modernisation (in some cases!). 

All lift and escalator work must be appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner, including the provision of appropriate PPE and workwear for the task ahead. This commonly includes safety eyewear, safety footwear, hand protection, head protection, and high visibility clothing.

The Aviation sector involves a range of tasks to ensure planes are ready to take flight. One of the key aspects is loading and unloading luggage/freight items, and handling potentially hazardous cargo in the process. There are also mechanical and electrical repairs required for aircraft, meaning PPE and workwear is a critical element of the broader Health and Safety strategy.

The Defence sector delivers critical support services to military organisations in the UK, such as running marine operations, modernisation and maintenance of ships and aircraft, operation of nuclear facilities, management of satellite systems, and more. Robust and reliable PPE and workwear are vitally important in such hazardous environments.