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Protective clothing

Explore items of clothing worn for workplace safety in a vast array of occupations, from firefighter and oil rig worker to ironmonger and Royal Navy personnel.

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Metropolitan police helmet, MkV, ABS plastic based, sectioned

Pair of disposable ear plugs (E.A.R. type)

Royal Air Force anti-glare spectacles

Safety spectacles with pivoting side shields

1984

Anti-louse belt

SeaSafe brand 'Mariner' Life Jacket 150

1990-1999

Non slip safety boots

2006

Pharmaceutical Worker's Suit.

1982

Protective spectacles, c 1981.

1980-1982

Pair of "Comfit" moulded plastic ear plugs

1945-1982

Beanie hat incorporating d3o shear-thickening polymer

2006

Protective trousers, for coke oven operative's protective suit

1981

Twin eyeglass deep sea diving helmet by Charles Edwin Heinke

1844-1850

First closed diving helmet and breastplate

1839

'Contour d3o' goalkeeping gloves

2006

Pair of "Comfit" moulded plastic ear plugs

1945-1982

Reflective waistcoat

Microshield smock

1984

Equipment used on the 1933 Everest expedition by Sir Jack Longland

Pair silk inner gloves used on the 1933 Everest expedition

1933

Diving/Smoke helmet

1820-1829
Anti-flash gas welder's suit (overall) with hood, gloves and boots (suit type Bristol HS 17). Designed for use by British Gas workmen inspecting high pressure natural gas pipes. Made of unlined Heatshield cloth the suit will give protection up to 20 seconds against flames at 850°C before the heat penetrates to the skin. Heatshield is light and flexible so looks like a standard overall. The anti-flash hood is designed to fit around breathing apparatus with an integral heavy duty industrial helmet and is fitted with a wide vision polycarbonate visor. The overall and gauntlet mittens are made of modacrylic beta-glass fibre yarn mixture cloth. The boots are made of chrome hide leather with nitrile rubber sole and steel toe cap.

Anti-flash gas welder's suit (overall) with hood

1981
Wet suit, comprising: jacket, long johns, hood, 'Vidi' mask, schnorkel, pair of fins and bag, and pair of wet suit socks, by Typhoon International Limited, Redcar, Cleveland, England, 1981

Wet suit: jacket, long johns, hood, mask, schnorkel, fins and bag, and socks

1981
"Barrier" non-woven disposable hospital theatre dress (large size), Johnson and Johnson Ltd.

"Barrier" non-woven disposable hospital theatre dress (large size)

Used shot blaster's kit comprising: canvas jacket and trousers, pair of gauntlets, pair of boots and helmet

Shot blaster's canvas protective wear, jacket and trousers, pair of gauntlets, pair of boots and helmet

1976-1981
Pair of cricket bowler's boots (Bob Willis style)

Pair of cricket bowler's boots

1981
Child's protective helmet respirator (1939) in original cardboard container

Child's protective helmet respirator (1939) in original cardboard container

1939
Positive Pressure powered respirator MK5 (to BS 4558 and 4771) Serial No.500658, with battery powered motor fan unit on a waistbelt, by Martindale Protection Limited, Neasden, London, England, 1975-1981

Positive Pressure powered respirator MK5 (to BS 4558 and 4771) Serial No.500658

1975-1981
Cyclist's cape and leggings in yellow PVC coated cotton (made for Halfords shops), purchased by donor c1953

Cyclist's cape and leggings in yellow PVC coated cotton (made for Halfords shops)

circa 1953
Dog training suit comprising coat and trousers, (RAF, c1956)

Dog training suit comprising coat and trousers

1956
Glove, stencilling

Glove, stencilling

Cricket bowling machine, c. 1900

Cricket bowling machine, c. 1900

circa 1900
Two weight belts - reinforced rubber. (One attached to dummy figure 1963-63 and one to dummy figure 1963-65)

Two weight belts for diving

1950-1966
Pair of gloves and a single right-hand glove, Winter - Monkey Grip vinyl coated foam insulated, by Edmont Europe, Belgium, 1986

Pair of gloves, Winter - Monkey Grip vinyl coated foam insulated

1986
Organic vapour 1/2 mask respirator fitted with prefilter for droplets or particles along with separate prefilter unit from respirator.

Organic vapour half mask respirator

circa 1986
Airstream protective helmet with face mask and filtered air ventilating system. One battery pack and charger unit for the same, 1980

Airstream protective helmet with face mask and filtered air ventilating system

1980
Face screen carrier and visor to BS 2092-1

Face screen carrier and visor

Pair of electrically heated gloves (6 volt, for demonstration use), and wire attached to battery pack, Vacuum Reflex Ltd. type used by aircrew

Pair of Electrically Heated Gloves and Battery Pack

Pair of asbestos gloves by Jelaco Ltd., Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, c.1980.

Pair of asbestos gloves by Jelaco Ltd.

Nora green "oilmax" unlined wellingtons with slip resistant soles

Nora green "oilmax" unlined Wellingtons

Medium weight black PVC apron

Medium weight black PVC apron

Coke oven operative's protective suit in yellow wool gaberdine (trousers and jacket), pair of chrome leather and cotton gloves, 'Airstream' helmet, battery pack, and belt, unsigned, British, 1981. Trousers and jacket are water repellant and flame resistant, Zirpro treated wool. Clothing used at British Steel Corporation's Redcar works.

Coke oven operative's protective suit in yellow wool gaberdine (trousers and jacket)

1981
Chinese construction worker's protective helmet in cane, 1981

Chinese construction worker's protective helmet in cane

1981
Positive pressure 'Divator' breathing apparatus, and various spare components, by AGA Spiro, Sweden, 1960

Positive pressure 'Divator' breathing apparatus, and spare components

1960
Ice hockey goalkeeper's outfit, comprising: helmet and mask, throat protector, pair shoulder and arm pads, body pad, pants, pair knee pads, pair goal pads, catch mitt, stick hand mitt, goal stick, suspender, garter belt, pair socks, pair ice skates and sweater (sectioned).

Ice hockey goalkeeper's outfit

Noise helmet (serial no: MLA 0021) and lead lined noise excluding jacket, by ML Aviation Company Limited, White Waltham, England, 1973.1983. Originally designed for use when testing engines of TSR2 aircraft.

Noise helmet (serial no: MLA 0021) and lead lined noise excluding jacket

1973-1983
Metal splash test rig, 1977, as used by the International Wool Secretariat

Metal splash test rig, used by the International Wool Secretariat

1977
Suit with socks and gloves attached, made from stainless steel wire and wool used for high voltage electrical live-line working, developed by the Central Electricity Generating Board in conjunction with International Wool Secretariat and a Belgian weaver. Made of 75% natural wool fibre and 25% stainless steel fibres.

Live-line conducting suit in wool

circa 1980
Precision integrating sound level meter (CEL-175, type 1), and microphone, made by Computer Engineering Ltd.

Precision integrating sound level meter

Pair of "Safety Plus" wellington boots in nitrile rubber/PVC with carbon steel toecap and steel midsole, to BS 1870, part 3

Safety Plus wellington boots