Current Dress Regs

[PuckChaser]

They could just change the 15 different things on the uniform that say Navy / Marine to reflective lettering. NCDs would glow in the dark...

 

[Navy_Pete]

Wouldn't bright yellow be the most visible in most situations?

lol, depends on the situation, but I every immersion suit/floater suit etc I've seen has been either yellow, red or bright orange with reflective strips and usually flashing lights for max visibility in the water.

Something with a high contrast colour with reflective tape would be good for low vis quick searches (like during a flood or in light smoke), like in a damaged area after a collision. In a full fire eventually someone will roll up with a thermal imaging camera, but no one will have that right away.

There are a tonne of existing one and two piece work outfits that meet the FR requirements already for other industries, and have standard CSA reflective tape. The solid black NECUs with no reflective stripes is probably the least visible uniform, but to be fair our old NCDs were the same, and was just so you don't see stains on them.

I've seen a few allied navies new uniforms, and they do incorporate the reflective strips, with a lot of them able to be tucked away. The newer style navy goretex snow jacket and pants as well as the rain jacket and pants have reflective strips like that, and they make an amazing difference to not getting run over, especially walking into or home from work at stupid early/late on a rainy Halifax day from personal experience.

I almost got squished by a car that didn't see me in the old NCDs, so stopped wearing them to/from work a long time ago. Started doing it again with the new coats, but in the summer they are too hot anyway.

Again, for force protection, boarding party or whatever they already put on coveralls for that, and if you are close enough to see the sailors you can see the ship, so my preference would be a non-ninja work dress meant for working as normal uniform, but I guess my opinion and $4 will get you a cup of coffee.

 

[lenaitch]

The thing I don't get is that you can buy off the shelf coveralls sized to fit individuals with high vis stripes that are FR and meant for getting oily from all the oil field suppliers, and they are an absolutely awsome working garment.

It's apparently a more limited area for female employees, although the market is growing.

Sudbury workwear manufacturer signs major retail partnership agreement

Marks Commercial will sell Sudbury-made Covergalls products starting in 2025

www.sudbury.com

There is apparently another company in Guelph.

 

[Halifax Tar]

well they wear them because their cheap, easy to launder, and do the job on a industrial site. Seems like that applies to the working environment of a naval ship. What’s the advantage of two pieces? Surely that creates gaps in flash protection?



What’s preferred vs what’s better. My pint is about cost, practicality, and usability in what is, from my view, a floating set of workshops, machine stations, and industrial sites.



I’d argue that a ship has a lot more in common with an industrial work site that anything that the new combats were designed for. While I never claimed to be an expert I the navy’s combat operations, this is less like you talking about the tac vest than it is if you argued we should only wear OTW shirts.

I think coveralls would have their advantages. The idea has been tossed about many times and I even trialled once. And they were never chosen.

Lots of Navies use them as a work dress.

The NECUs are a good uniform. My only issue is their overall poor quality.

 

[stoker dave]

the RCN says we all have to look the same all the time,

I think that is the root of the problem.

While I am some time out of uniform, I have worked at any number of industrial sites including underground mines, surface mines, industrial facilities, oil & gas production facilities, construction sites and environmental remediation sites (which have any number of hazards such as hydrocarbons, PCBs, chemicals, heavy metals and radioactivity, often many at the same site).

Each site has a health and safety person (typically qualified in occupational health and safety) that looks at the site and the hazards then prescribes the appropriate PPE&C (personal protective equipment and clothing) for the site. And the PPE&C may change based on conditions, tasks, etc.

So sometimes fire-retardant coveralls are required. Sometimes just coveralls. Sometimes basic construction PPE&C.

Workers may be required to review AND DOCUMENT (a little card carried in the pocket) site hazards before beginning a task to make sure appropriate precautions have been taken.

Specific situations may require specific levels of hi-vis, specific types of boots, specific types of gloves, etc.

Basic PPE&C is: 6" 'green triangle' safety boots, gloves, long pants, long sleeve shirt, high-vis vest, eye protection, hard hat. Commonly add-ons for specific hazards may include hearing protection and / or face shields.

Respiratory protection is a whole other field that may range from a dust mask to full-face respirator to supplied air depending on the hazard.

The point being that a wide variety of items may be required based on hazards. Experts are available to ensure the correct items are specified. Workers are obligated to wear what is specified (zero tolerance for non-compliance on health and safety issues). Workers may refuse to work if the conditions are considered unsafe (e.g. appropriate PPE&C is not provided). Indeed, workers are ENCOURAGED to speak up if they see something that they think might be unsafe.

Sharing my perspective and experience. Trying to make everyone the same in the face of different hazards is inconsistent with health and safety requirements and industry practice.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

You know, not that many years ago, the Australian Navy switched from coveralls as seagoing uniform to the current "camouflage" two piece naval combat uniform. Perhaps we should ask them if there was a reason for such change, and if so what it was, before we choose to go all "coverallee".

 

[Halifax Tar]

You know, not that many years ago, the Australian Navy switched from coveralls as seagoing uniform to the current "camouflage" two piece naval combat uniform. Perhaps we should ask them if there was a reason for such change, and if so what it was, before we choose to go all "coverallee".

No more changes to our work dress please. We just got NECU rolled out.

Our uniforms that need changing is is the eye watering amount and variations of our dress uniforms.

2 uniforms. 1 for work, one for ceremony. It could be that easy.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

So, which one do you want: Freezing in winter in light cotton white clothing or burning up in summer in wool black uniform?

 

[Remius]

Coveralls? Aren’t those just flight suits essentially?

 

[OldSolduer]

No more changes to our work dress please. We just got NECU rolled out.

Our uniforms that need changing is is the eye watering amount and variations of our dress uniforms.

2 uniforms. 1 for work, one for ceremony. It could be that easy.

AND the age old question: toques and gloves?

 

[Halifax Tar]

AND the age old question: toques and gloves?

Yes lol

 

[Kilted]

AND the age old question: toques and gloves?

It's allowed now. It's a brave new world that we are living in.

 

[Furniture]

It's allowed now. It's a brave new world that we are living in.

I'm considering wearing white the first and last days they're authorized, regardless of the actual weather on those days.