New workwear rules add colour to Ontario mines: Covergalls creates custom workwear solution for Technica.

• Author: Tollinsky, Norm
• Position: MINING

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Navy is out. Orange, yellow and red are in.

As of July 1, miners working underground in Ontario are required to wear high-visibility safety apparel made of fluorescent or brightly coloured background material.

The change in regulations was an ideal opportunity for Covergalls Inc., a Sudbury-based designer and manufacturer of smart, functional workwear, to pitch its line of clothing to mining companies and contractors.

"We have the ability to manufacture unique workwear solutions that take a customer's brand and extend it to their workwear program," said Covergalls owner Alicia Woods. "A unique workwear solution differentiates a company's employees and allows them to stand out."

Mining contractor Technica Inc. bought into the idea.

The July 1 deadline to outfit its employees in high-visibility coveralls coincided with its move to a new building, so it was a perfect opportunity to add some pizzazz to the company's image and branding.

"Most companies are going with orange, which I didn't quite like, so we met with Alicia and her design team and opted for high-visibility yellow, which was a little more compatible with my personal preferences and how I wanted to portray Technica," said Mario Grossi, founder and CEO of the company.

Covergalls was originally conceived as a manufacturer of women's workwear with a better female fit and special features including a 'trap door' that allows women to use a portable toilet without having to disrobe. However, Woods introduced a Coverguys line when men also started inquiring about her products.

Technica chose to include an embroidered pink ribbon on its coveralls in support of the Northern Cancer Foundation and agreed to donate $5 per pair for cancer research, "so it's Coverguys supporting Covergalls," said Grossi.

Workers in surface mines and plants who work during daylight hours only have to comply with Class 2 workwear standards, which require them to wear high-visibility vests with retro-reflective striping on fluorescent yellow, orange or red...