RICHARD WELLOCK & SONS LIMITED Trading as Wellocks  |  Company Registration No. 04296795  |  Registered in England & Wales The Riverside Building, Livingstone Road, Hessle, East Yorkshire, HU13 0DZ

STAFF UNIFORM & PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) POLICY

Document Ref RWS-PPE-001 Version 1.0 Review Date Annually Classification Internal Policy

 

 

Richard Wellock & Sons Limited, trading as Wellocks (hereinafter "the Company"), is committed to the health, safety, and professional presentation of all its employees, workers, and contractors. This Policy establishes the mandatory obligations of all covered personnel in respect of the wearing, maintenance, and return of Company-issued Uniform and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).   The Company's operations — encompassing the wholesale distribution of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, poultry, and fine food ingredients to premium foodservice clients nationwide, together with fresh produce preparation, food processing, temperature-controlled warehousing, and the operation of a large fleet of refrigerated delivery vehicles — expose employees to a diverse range of workplace hazards. These include manual handling of heavy produce and equipment, slip and trip risks in wet and chilled environments, operation of powered handling equipment and food processing machinery, temperature extremes in cold store environments, driving risks, and the requirements of food safety and hygiene legislation. The correct use of appropriate Uniform and PPE is therefore not merely a matter of professional presentation; it is a fundamental legal, operational, and food safety requirement.   This Policy applies to all employees, workers, agency staff, contractors, and any other persons engaged by the Company who are required to wear Uniform or PPE in connection with their duties.

 

 

This Policy applies to all personnel engaged by Richard Wellock & Sons Limited (Company No. 04296795), including but not limited to:

 

• Permanent and fixed-term employees in all roles and at all levels
• Part-time, casual, and seasonal workers
• Agency and temporary workers deployed on Company premises or at customer sites
• Contractors and sub-contractors carrying out works on Company premises
• Any individual representing the Company in any official or operational capacity

 

This Policy applies to all locations at which the Company's employees operate, including the Nelson headquarters, all regional hubs and distribution centres, the fresh produce preparation centre, delivery vehicles, and any customer or third-party premises visited in connection with Company business.

 

 

This Policy is established in compliance with the following legislation, statutory instruments, and food safety standards:

 

Legislation / Regulation / Standard	Relevance to this Policy
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974	Primary duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of all employees and others affected by Company operations.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended by PPER 2022)	Employer obligation to provide suitable PPE to all employees and workers exposed to health and safety risks. PPE must be suitable, properly maintained, stored, and used correctly.
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999	Requires employers to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments and implement appropriate control measures, including the provision and correct use of PPE.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992	Directly applicable to the lifting, carrying, stacking, and manoeuvring of produce crates, pallets, and delivery equipment throughout the Company's operations.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)	Applicable to food processing and preparation machinery, pallet trucks, forklift trucks, conveyor systems, and all other powered work equipment.
Food Safety Act 1990 & Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013	Requires food handlers to wear appropriate protective clothing and maintain personal hygiene standards to prevent contamination of food products. Uniform standards and food-safe PPE are legally required.
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs (retained in UK law)	Establishes hygiene requirements for food business operators, including requirements for clean protective clothing, hair covering, and hygiene-safe equipment for food handlers.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)	Applicable to the use of cleaning chemicals, sanitisers, and other hazardous substances used in the preparation centre, warehouse, and vehicle cleaning operations.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992	Governs the working environment including temperature requirements, floors, and welfare facilities — particularly relevant to cold store and chilled working environments.
Road Traffic Act 1988 & Highway Code	Applicable to all Company drivers operating refrigerated delivery vehicles on public roads.
Employment Rights Act 1996	Governs the lawful deduction of wages in respect of unreturned or wilfully damaged Company property, including Uniform and PPE.
Equality Act 2010	Requires the Company to make reasonable adjustments to Uniform and PPE requirements where a disability, medical condition, or other protected characteristic renders standard provision unsuitable.

 

 

Richard Wellock & Sons Limited hereby commits to the following obligations in respect of Uniform and PPE:

 

• The Company shall provide, at no cost to the employee, all Uniform and PPE items identified as necessary following a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the relevant role, site, task, and working environment.
• All PPE provided shall conform to applicable British Standards (BS EN) and/or CE/UKCA marking requirements in force at the time of issue.
• All Uniform and food-handling PPE shall comply with food safety legislation and applicable food industry hygiene standards, and shall be suitable for use in chilled and ambient food environments as required.
• The Company shall ensure that all PPE is appropriate to the identified risks, correctly sized and fitted to the individual employee, and compatible with any other PPE required to be worn concurrently.
• Temperature-appropriate PPE — including thermal/insulated gloves, cold-store jackets, and warm underlayers — shall be provided where employees are required to work in chilled or frozen environments.

 

• The Company shall ensure that all employees required to wear PPE and/or food-safe Uniform receive adequate instruction and training in its correct use, fitting, adjustment, maintenance, and storage prior to commencing any task requiring its use.
• Employees shall be clearly informed of the specific risks against which the PPE provides protection, the food safety reasons for Uniform requirements, and the actions required upon discovery of damage, defect, or loss.
• All food handlers shall receive appropriate food hygiene training (minimum Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate) prior to handling any food product, with records maintained by the Company.
• Training records, including food hygiene certificates and PPE induction records, shall be maintained by the Company and made available to enforcement authorities, including the Food Standards Agency and HSE, upon request.

 

• The Company shall maintain all PPE and food-safe Uniform in good working order and in a satisfactory hygienic condition throughout its serviceable life.
• Regular inspection of PPE shall be carried out in accordance with manufacturer guidance and applicable industry standards.
• Defective, damaged, or contaminated PPE or Uniform shall be withdrawn from service and replaced promptly. No employee shall be required or permitted to continue working without adequate protection or food-safe clothing pending replacement.
• Appropriate, designated storage facilities for clean Uniform and PPE — separate from soiled items — shall be provided at all Company locations.

 

 

All employees and covered personnel are subject to the following mandatory obligations. Failure to comply shall constitute a breach of this Policy and of the individual's contract of employment, and will be subject to formal disciplinary action.

 

• Employees must wear solely the Company-issued Uniform and PPE during all working hours, whilst on Company premises, in delivery vehicles, at customer sites, or at any time when acting in any capacity as a representative of the Company.
• The wearing of PPE and food-safe Uniform where required by risk assessment or food safety requirements is not optional under any circumstances. Refusal to comply is a serious disciplinary matter and may result in the immediate removal of the employee from the workplace, without pay, pending formal investigation.
• Employees are expressly prohibited from wearing Uniform or PPE not officially issued or approved by the Company, or from modifying any item of PPE or Uniform in any manner that may impair its protective or food-safe function.
• Where customer site-specific or task-specific PPE requirements exceed those mandated by the Company's standard provision, employees must comply with the more stringent requirements at all times.

 

• Employees are personally responsible for maintaining all issued Uniform and PPE in a clean, presentable, and serviceable condition throughout the course of their employment. Food-safe Uniform must be laundered regularly and must not be worn when soiled, torn, or in a condition that could present a contamination risk.
• Employees must report any defect, damage, contamination, loss, or deterioration of Uniform or PPE to their line manager immediately upon discovery. Use of damaged, defective, or contaminated items is strictly prohibited.
• Employees must not attempt to repair, modify, or interfere with any item of PPE without explicit written authorisation from a competent person.
• Wilful damage to, or deliberate misuse of, Company-issued Uniform or PPE shall constitute a disciplinary offence and may result in the employee being held liable for the full cost of replacement.

 

• Employees must store all PPE and Uniform in accordance with manufacturer instructions and in the designated storage facilities provided when not in use.
• Clean Uniform and PPE must be stored separately from soiled items at all times in accordance with food hygiene requirements.
• PPE must not be removed from the workplace or Company vehicle without prior written management authorisation, except where required for the performance of authorised off-site duties.

 

 

Upon the termination of employment — whether by resignation, dismissal, redundancy, retirement, or by any other means — all employees are subject to the following legally binding obligations:

 

• All items of Company-issued Uniform and PPE must be returned in good and serviceable condition (subject to fair wear and tear arising from normal, authorised use) no later than the final working day of employment.
• All Uniform and PPE items remain the sole and absolute property of Richard Wellock & Sons Limited at all times throughout and following employment. The employee holds no proprietary or possessory interest in any such items.
• Failure to return items, or the return of items that have been wilfully damaged or exhibit signs of misuse beyond reasonable wear and tear, shall entitle the Company to take one or more of the following enforcement actions:

 

1.	Deduct the full replacement cost of unreturned or wilfully damaged items from any outstanding wages, accrued holiday pay, expenses, or final salary payment, strictly in accordance with the Employment Rights Act 1996 and subject to any applicable written deduction authorisation previously provided by the employee.
2.	Pursue civil recovery proceedings against the former employee for the value of any unreturned or damaged items, including any associated legal costs where recoverable at the discretion of the court.
3.	Report the matter to the relevant authorities where the unreturned items constitute a health and safety or food safety risk to third parties, or where the non-return of items constitutes or is suspected to constitute theft.

 

 

The following table sets out the minimum PPE and Uniform requirements by role category within Richard Wellock & Sons Limited. Requirements are determined by risk assessment and food safety obligations, and are subject to review. Additional site-specific or task-specific requirements may apply and must be observed in addition to these Company minimums. Employees will be notified of any amendments.

 

Role Category	Minimum PPE & Uniform Requirements
Fresh Produce Preparation & Food Processing Operative	Company-issued food-safe Uniform (white coat or tunic, food-safe trousers), hairnet or hat (mandatory for all food handlers), beard snood where applicable, food-safe gloves appropriate to task (cut-resistant gloves EN 388 Level C minimum when using knives or mandoline equipment), non-slip safety footwear (S2 minimum, food-safe), waterproof apron where required. Eye protection when operating food processing machinery generating spray or debris.
Warehouse / Ambient Store Operative	Company uniform, safety footwear (steel-toe cap, S3 rated), work gloves for manual handling of heavy produce and crates, hi-visibility vest when operating in areas with powered handling equipment (forklift trucks, pallet movers). Safety glasses when cutting packaging or banding. Hair covering in any area where food is open or exposed.
Cold Store / Chilled Environment Operative	Company uniform plus Company-issued thermal cold store jacket, thermal insulating gloves (EN 511 rated), insulated safety footwear appropriate for cold store environments, hi-visibility vest when required. Employees must not remain in cold store environments beyond safe exposure limits as defined by the Company's cold work risk assessment. Regular warm-up breaks must be observed.
Forklift Truck / Powered Handling Equipment Operator	Company uniform, safety footwear (steel-toe cap, S3 rated), hi-visibility vest (EN ISO 20471 Class 2 minimum) at all times when operating or in proximity to powered handling equipment. Hard hat where overhead stacking risk exists. Only operatives holding a current, valid RTITB/ITSSAR or equivalent forklift licence are permitted to operate powered handling equipment.
Delivery Driver	Company-branded uniform (shirt, trousers/chinos, jacket as specified by the Company — clean and presentable at all times given the premium customer-facing nature of the role), safety footwear, hi-visibility jacket when outside the vehicle and when loading or unloading at customer premises. Work gloves for manual handling. Full compliance with customer site PPE requirements at delivery locations.
Vehicle & Fleet Maintenance Technician	Company uniform, safety footwear (steel-toe cap, S3 rated), work gloves (appropriate type for task — chemical-resistant when handling oils/fluids, general-purpose for mechanical work), safety glasses, hi-visibility vest when in the yard or vehicle movement areas. Chemical PPE (gloves, eye protection, respiratory protection) in accordance with COSHH assessments for oils, refrigerants, and cleaning chemicals.
Despatch / Goods In Operative	Company uniform, safety footwear (steel-toe cap, S3 rated), hi-visibility jacket at all times in the loading bay and yard, work gloves, safety glasses when cutting strapping or packaging. Hair covering when in proximity to open food product. Full compliance with vehicle movement safety procedures at all times.
Office / Sales / Customer Service	Company-branded smart casual uniform or business attire as specified. Safety footwear, hi-visibility vest, hair covering, and any other required PPE upon entry to any warehouse, cold store, preparation, or loading bay area. Full PPE and hygiene compliance required at all times when outside designated office areas.
Supervisory / Management (operational areas)	Company-branded uniform, safety footwear, hi-visibility vest when present in warehouse, preparation, yard, or loading areas. Food-safe Uniform and hair covering required when entering any food preparation or open-food handling area. Full task-specific and area-specific PPE compliance required at all times when in operational zones.

 

 

The following standards apply to the wearing of Company Uniform at all times whilst on duty or representing the Company. Given the premium, customer-facing nature of Wellocks' business and brand, professional presentation is of the highest importance and reflects directly on the Company's reputation with its Michelin star and five-star hotel client base.

 

• Company Uniform must be worn at all times during working hours in accordance with the guidelines issued at the time of provision.
• Uniform must be clean and in good repair at all times. Employees are responsible for laundering their own uniform regularly and in accordance with the care instructions provided. Food-handling and preparation uniforms must be laundered to a standard sufficient to prevent cross-contamination.
• Food-safe and preparation area Uniform must be changed if it becomes visibly soiled, torn, or otherwise contaminated during a shift. Employees must not handle open food product in soiled or damaged Uniform under any circumstances.
• Personal clothing worn beneath or alongside Company Uniform must not be visible in a manner that detracts from a professional appearance, unless expressly permitted by management.
• Employees must not alter, deface, or make any addition to Company Uniform — including the removal, obscuring, or defacement of Company logos, branding, or identification — without prior written management approval.
• Delivery drivers in particular must present a smart, clean, and professional appearance at all times when attending customer premises. The Company's uniform standards are a core component of the brand promise to premium clients.
• Strong-smelling personal fragrances must not be worn in food preparation or handling areas as they may taint food products.

 

 

Given the Company's status as a food business operator subject to the Food Safety Act 1990, the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, and retained EU Regulation 852/2004, the following food safety and hygiene obligations apply to all employees working with or in proximity to food products, in addition to the general requirements of this Policy:

 

• All food handlers must wear Company-issued food-safe Uniform and appropriate PPE at all times when handling, preparing, or in proximity to open food product. Personal clothing must not come into contact with food.
• Hair coverings (hairnets, caps, or hats as specified) are mandatory for all employees in food preparation and open food handling areas without exception. Beards and moustaches must be covered by a beard snood in these areas.
• Food-safe gloves must be worn in accordance with task requirements and changed regularly, particularly between tasks, after contact with allergens, after handling raw and ready-to-eat products, and after any break in food handling activity.
• Jewellery — including rings, earrings, bracelets, and watches — must not be worn in food preparation or handling areas. Plain wedding bands may be permitted subject to site-specific risk assessment and management approval; if worn, they must be covered by a food-safe glove at all times.
• Uniform and PPE worn in food preparation areas must not be worn outside those areas or taken home. Dedicated changing facilities are provided for this purpose.
• Any employee who suspects they may be suffering from a food-borne illness, gastrointestinal infection, skin infection on exposed skin, or any other condition that may pose a risk of food contamination, must report this immediately to their line manager before commencing work and must not handle open food product until cleared to do so by a medical professional.
• Allergen awareness is a critical food safety obligation. PPE and Uniform colour-coding protocols for allergen segregation must be strictly observed at all times where in place.

 

 

Employees required to work in cold store, chilled, or frozen environments are subject to the following additional obligations, which operate alongside and supplement the general requirements of this Policy:

 

• Company-issued thermal PPE — including cold store jackets, insulated gloves, and appropriate footwear — must be worn whenever working in cold store or chilled environments. Personal thermal clothing not issued or approved by the Company must not be substituted.
• Employees must observe all rest and warm-up break requirements as specified in the Company's cold work risk assessment. No employee shall be required to remain in a cold store environment for a continuous period in excess of the limit specified in the relevant risk assessment.
• Employees must report any symptoms of cold stress — including excessive shivering, numbness, loss of dexterity, or unusual fatigue — to their line manager immediately and must be removed from the cold environment pending assessment.
• Safety footwear worn in cold store areas must be rated for low-temperature use and must provide adequate grip on potentially wet or icy surfaces. Standard safety footwear not rated for cold store use must not be worn in frozen or sub-zero environments.
• All PPE used in cold store environments must be inspected regularly for deterioration caused by temperature cycling, moisture, and repeated use.

 

 

The Company uses cleaning chemicals, sanitisers, disinfectants, and vehicle maintenance fluids in its operations. The following specific obligations apply to all employees who handle such substances, in addition to the general requirements of this Policy:

 

• Employees must not handle, dilute, decant, or apply any chemical product without wearing the PPE specified on the relevant product Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and in the applicable COSHH assessment.
• Chemical-resistant gloves of the appropriate specification must be worn when handling hazardous substances. Gloves must be inspected prior to use and replaced if damaged or degraded.
• Eye protection must be worn whenever there is any risk of chemical splash, including during mixing, dilution, decanting, or spray application.
• Respiratory protection must be worn in accordance with the relevant COSHH assessment, particularly in confined or poorly ventilated spaces.
• Cleaning chemicals must not be used in or near open food product areas. Any chemical used in food preparation or handling areas must be food-safe, approved for use in food businesses, and applied strictly in accordance with product instructions and Company procedures.
• Any chemical spillage or accidental exposure must be reported immediately to the line manager, and appropriate first aid and decontamination procedures followed without delay. An accident or near-miss report must be completed on the same day.

 

 

The Company fully recognises its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and is committed to ensuring that its Uniform and PPE requirements do not unlawfully disadvantage any employee on the grounds of a protected characteristic.

 

Employees who consider that a Uniform or PPE requirement places them at a disadvantage due to a disability, medical condition, pregnancy, religious belief, or any other protected characteristic are encouraged to raise this at the earliest opportunity with their line manager or the Human Resources department.

 

The Company will give full and fair consideration to any reasonable adjustment request and will endeavour to identify and implement an appropriate alternative solution that satisfies both the individual's needs and the applicable health and safety and food safety requirements. No adjustment will be approved where it would materially compromise the safety or food hygiene protection afforded by the relevant PPE or Uniform, or where applicable legislation, food safety law, or client site requirements prohibit deviation from the specified standard.

 

 

Failure to comply with the requirements of this Policy will be treated as a disciplinary matter and addressed in accordance with the Company's Disciplinary Procedure. The level of action taken will reflect the severity, frequency, and potential consequences of the breach:

 

First instance / minor breach	Verbal warning and restatement of obligations. A record of the discussion shall be placed on the employee's personnel file.
Repeat or wilful breach	Formal written warning in accordance with the Company's Disciplinary Procedure, with a copy placed on the employee's personnel file.
Serious, persistent, or gross breach	Final written warning or dismissal, up to and including summary dismissal without notice for gross misconduct — particularly where the breach involves failure to wear food-safe Uniform or PPE in a food handling or preparation environment, thereby creating a risk of food contamination or injury, or where the breach could expose the Company to enforcement action by the Food Standards Agency or Health & Safety Executive.

 

Nothing in this Policy limits the Company's right to take immediate protective action — including removal from the workplace without pay pending investigation — where non-compliance presents an immediate or serious risk to health and safety or to food safety.

 

 

This Policy shall be reviewed on an annual basis, or sooner in the event of any of the following:

 

• Changes to applicable health and safety legislation, food safety legislation, statutory guidance, HSE or FSA guidance, or relevant industry standards
• Material changes to the Company's operations, product range, processing methods, workforce composition, or risk profile
• A significant Uniform, PPE, or food safety-related incident, near-miss, enforcement action, or HSE/FSA investigation
• Changes to the types of environments, processes, or customer sectors in which the Company operates
• Feedback from employees, safety representatives, enforcement authorities, customers, or auditors

 

The review shall be conducted by Company management in conjunction with the Human Resources department and relevant operational leads. Any material amendments will be communicated to all relevant personnel and, where necessary, supported by revised training or toolbox talks, prior to implementation.

 

 

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising under or in connection with this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Nothing in this Policy shall limit or exclude any statutory rights of employees under applicable employment, health and safety, or food safety legislation.

 

EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT & UNDERSTANDING

 

I confirm that all employees I am ordering on behalf of have received, read, and fully understood the Richard Wellock & Sons Limited (trading as Wellocks) Staff Uniform & PPE Policy (Document Ref: RWS-PPE-001) and agree to comply with all obligations set out herein as a condition of their employment, and I confirm that I hold their signed copies of this policy document.

 

The Riverside Building, Livingstone Road, Hessle, East Yorkshire, HU13 0DZ

Document Ref: RWS-PPE-001  |  Version 1.0  |  Review Annually  |  This document is legally binding.