Working smart and working safe doesn’t only apply in the building site or the mines. When we heard that Greenworx is kitting-out their team out in Portwest workwear and PPE, we had to find out more about how it’s being used to keep their team of landscapers safe.

Greenworx is a Sydney-based landscaping company specialising in a variety of outdoor management services across a wide range of commercial facilities, sporting fields and national parks.

While these environments may not seem as hazardous as a construction site or a mining shaft, injuries in the field are prevalent. Landscapers are prone to overexertion, can be hit by moving objects, and often experience extreme weather conditions, falls, trips, and slips.

Greenworx is a Sydney-based landscaping company specialising in a variety of outdoor management services across a wide range of commercial facilities, sporting fields and national parks.

While these environments may not seem as hazardous as a construction site or a mining shaft, injuries in the field are prevalent. Landscapers are prone to overexertion, can be hit by moving objects, and often experience extreme weather conditions, falls, trips, and slips.

They’re hazards all too familiar to John Kalocsai, Co-Director at Greenworx, who’s a firm upholder of ‘The Greenworx Way’: to nurture staff, treasure clients, and protect the environment.

However, as the company expands so too does the challenge of ensuring the Greenworx Way is embedded business-wide and in each of the locations they serve.

“Today, we operate across three states – NSW, QLD, and VIC,” John says. “We’re in quite the growth period right now, which means we’re facing certain challenges with all this new activity.”

To ensure safety is front-of-mind across the business, Greenworx requires a workwear supplier that not only shares its commitment to safety but has a broad range of workwear and PPE to cater to the many unique environments and scenarios the team encounter day-to-day.

Safety is Everything at Greenworx

When it comes to Greenworx priorities safety is at the top of the list, particularly when working outdoors where the risk of overexertion is high.

“All of our activity happens outdoors. It’s difficult at the best of times, particularly during those summer scorchers. It’s important that we help our staff continue to do their job safely, all year round,” John said.

“To do this, we have to have the right PPE and the right gear. We can’t afford for anyone to be injured or overheat at work. It’s a non-negotiable.”

To prevent overexertion, landscapers need lightweight, breathable workwear. Portwest’s PWR High Visibility series, crafted by our global product engineers, features the Portwest Extreme base fabric. This fabric offers maximum waterproof, breathable, and windproof protection, along with exceptional stretch for outstanding flexibility.

Technically Proficient Clothing Like No Other

Findings from Safe Work Australia show the permanent and irreversible damage that sun exposure can cause to the skin and eyes. This is due to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which in Australia, is hazardous year-round.

“A number of years ago, we made a conscious decision to move away from short sleeves and short pants. One of the bigger reasons for this was sun protection,” John says.

“It’s really important that we partner with a supplier that maintains the standards in their uniforms and backs their product for sun and skin protection. We’re out in the elements everyday, so we don’t want to be using something that’s inferior.”

At Portwest, our technically proficient and durable workwear is designed to withstand the elements. Particularly in the harsh Australian sun, all our workwear is compliant with AS 4399 UPF30 industry standards, blocking out 96.7% of UV rays.

Helping To Avoid Injury

Working outdoors in a physically strenuous environment means an inevitable higher risk of injury. For Greenworx, the chance of flying objects is high.

“Our uniforms are designed to protect us as much as possible,” says John. “We often come into contact with unexpected objects during our work, which have the chance of causing injury if we’re not careful.”

Our workwear is designed to have the optimal blend between functionality and safety. PPE such as eye protection helps shield the eyes from any objects.

All of our eyewear is compliant with the AS/NZS 1337.1 Australian standard to protect from flying particles and fragments.

When it comes to footwear too, our BASE Protection range is designed to combine technology and functional requirements in protecting against all hazards, including flying objects.

Our BASE Fortrex boots are puncture resistant for up to 3mm, making them our toughest boot yet for protecting against injury.

"It made sense for us to team up with a supplier that makes sure that their product complies with all safety standards, particularly with the PPE available and the durability of their workwear.”

In Summary

Breathability, sun protection, and protection from flying objects are some of Greenworx’s biggest priorities in keeping their team safe, in line with The Greenworx Way.

This is what helps make Portwest a perfect match for Greenworx. Our global reach means we’re able to provide innovative, technically proficient workwear and PPE that meets national safety standards whilst remaining comfortable and flexible.