Elf and safety gone mad? This is what Santa and his Elves might wear in 2022

When you think of Santa and his trusty Elves, you probably imagine him wearing the traditional red, fur-lined suit and black boots and the Elves with pointy shoes and hats. However, if a risk assessment were to take place, would their work uniforms meet modern-day health and safety standards? Probably not. ICON Printing, a London-based t-shirt printing company, have delved into the UK government’s guidance on PPE in the workplace and reimagined Santa and his Elves’ work uniforms to meet modern-day standards. After all, the man who miraculously delivers presents to millions of children every Christmas Eve would undoubtedly have refreshed his wardrobe in the hundreds of years he’s existed… right? Jacqueline Busby, Head of Claims at workplace accident specialists First4Lawyers explains why it is so important that Santa reconsiders his staff uniforms: “Employers – whether large corporations or small family businesses – are required to do all that is reasonably practicable to protect their workers. Making sure they have the right clothing and equipment is part of this. Employers should evaluate the need for PPE during risk assessments. If it could help to keep people safe, providing it is essential. “Certain workers need extra protections – and this includes those who help ensure there are presents under the tree. Those in jobs with more risk will need more attention paid to their PPE. “For example, visibility is vital when working in environments such as warehouses. With the constant activity, there’s always a risk of injury if not everyone can be seen – and this is particularly relevant when workers are on the smaller size. So employers need to ensure they’re providing the necessary high-visibility clothing.” So what changes needed to be made to Santa’s staff uniform? Alex Econs, garment expert, founder and CEO of ICON Printing explains: Head and neck “Santa’s bobble hat needed some serious updating. To protect this critical body part when flying his sleigh, we’ve added a full helmet to shield his face from insects, flying debris or in case of an accident. A beard guard has also been added to prevent his iconic facial hair from getting tangled in any machinery.” Eyes “We’ve added a visor to the helmet to further protect his eyes and to shield them from harmful UV rays that could occur while flying high above the clouds.” Ears “Additional ear protection was included in the helmet to help reduce the noise from flying the sleigh at supernatural speeds to an acceptable level. It will also help keep them warm in the sub-zero temperatures.” Hands and arms “Waterproof, industrial strength gloves are added to protect his hands from potential abrasion, impact, cuts, impact and varying temperatures while he delivers the presents.” Feet and legs “Delivering presents all over the world comes with its risks, to prevent injury from a present falling on Santa’s foot or a clumsy reindeer stepping on his toe, Santa’s classic black boots have been upgraded with steel toe caps.” Whole body “Varying temperatures, weather conditions and lighting meant that Santa’s outerwear needed to be updated drastically. Gone is the red jacket and in its place is a high-visibility waterproof, windproof and thermal outerwear suitable for his role in loading the presents from the warehouse onto the sleigh and delivering the gifts.” Emergency equipment “When driving an open-top vehicle, measures needed to be taken to prevent Santa from falling out of his sleigh. We’ve added a safety harness to ensure he stays safe during any in-flight turbulence and a lifejacket for any emergency landings on water.” The Elves' busy jobs in the workshop meant that they too needed some updates to their uniforms. Alex continues: Head and neck “Working in a busy environment, making and sorting presents will expose the Elves to hazards to the head. As such we have added a bump cap which would protect them from bumps and lacerations- a safer option to their traditional pointy hat.” Eyes “Crafting presents puts the Elves’ eyes at risk from loose materials making protective glasses an essential addition to keep them safe when working with wood and with power tools.” Ears “The workshop is a noisy, busy place with a variety of activities taking place. We’ve added some ear protection which will keep noise at a safe level whilst keeping their ears warm.” Hands and arms “Hazards to the hands and arms include abrasion, temperature, cuts, chemicals and electric shocks in the workshop. We’ve added some gloves which will make sure the Elves still have the dexterity to craft the gifts but keep them warm and protected from risks.” Feet and legs “Falling presents and snowy conditions pose risks year-round at the North Pole, rendering pointy Elf shoes unsafe and steel-toe cap boots an essential upgrade.” Lungs “Dust and gases in the workshop meant that we needed to take some extra measures to ensure the safety of the Elves' lungs. We added a respirator to filter out the particles which could damage the lungs of the employees.” Whole body “The warehouse environment makes high vis an essential addition to the Elves’ uniforms. We’ve added a flame retardant and thermal element to make the overalls suitable for North Pole temperatures and the open flames used when working.” ICON Printing offers fast-turnaround printing on a range of eco-friendly garments. Head to their website to find out more or to get a quote for your business merch in 2 minutes online.