Mining, Oil and Gas Workwear in Perth: Hi Vis, PPE and Corporate Uniforms
By UP Jina, Flash Uniforms, Wangara WA · Last updated October 2026 · 15 minute read
Quick answer: Mining, oil and gas companies in Perth need four layers of clothing and PPE sorted out: day/night hi vis to AS/NZS 4602.1, flame retardant or arc-rated clothing where the hazard demands it, the wider PPE kit (safety boots, hard hats, gloves and sun protection), and corporate office uniforms for head-office, admin and site-visit staff. Specify by the client's PPE matrix, not by catalogue; confirm class, tape and arc rating on the label; keep logos off the tape; and set up one repeatable order program so every site, contractor and office looks and complies the same way.
Flash Uniforms has supplied and decorated workwear from Wangara since 1985. We carry Hard Yakka, Bisley, Syzmik, DNC, KingGee, Biz Collection and more, decorate in house (embroidery, screen printing and DTF), embroider FR garments with FR-compatible thread, and ship Australia-wide for a flat $14.95.
Perth is the head office of Western Australia's resources industry. Mining houses, oil and gas operators, drilling and engineering contractors, and the service companies behind them run their operations from the CBD, West Perth and the industrial suburbs, and send crews to the Pilbara, Goldfields, Mid West, offshore and everywhere between. That creates a clothing challenge most other industries do not have: one organisation may need a hi vis shirt for a haul truck driver, an arc-rated shirt for an electrician, a corporate blouse for a finance team and a visitor vest for a board member touring a site, all in the same brand, all on time, and all compliant. This guide explains how to specify, buy and decorate each layer, written from four decades of supplying Perth businesses.
Why resources-sector buying is different
- The client sets the specification. A contractor working on a major operator's site will usually have to meet the operator's PPE matrix, which can be stricter than the legal minimum. Get the current document before you order, not after.
- Compliance is checked at the gate. Wrong tape pattern, wrong colour, faded fluoro or missing FR rating can mean a worker is turned away, which costs far more than the garment.
- Remote logistics. FIFO rosters, camps and regional sites mean lead times, size buffers and delivery planning matter more than in a city workplace.
- Heat, dust and UV. Perth sits at 35 °C or above on many summer days and inland sites are hotter again, so fabric choice affects safety as well as comfort.
- Several audiences, one brand. Field crews, contractors, office staff and visitors all need clothing, and the brand should read consistently across them.
For a general buying guide see our article on where to buy workwear in Perth. This guide goes deeper on the resources sector.
Layer 1: Mining hi vis workwear
Standards and class
High visibility garments in Australia are made to AS/NZS 4602.1, with retroreflective tape to AS/NZS 1906.4. Garments are labelled Class D (day only), Class N (night only) or Class D/N (day and night). Most mine sites, rail corridors and roadworks require D/N, because shifts run around the clock and trucks and plant use lights. A day-only polo will not pass the gate on a D/N site, so buy by the label, not by the colour.
Colour, tape and cut
- Orange or yellow: both are compliant fluoro colours. Orange is common on WA mine and rail sites; yellow is common in construction and warehousing. Many operators also require a navy or contrast lower panel, so the site's own rules decide.
- Tape pattern: operators often specify hoop tape around the torso and arms, or a cross-back, and some now prefer segmented tape that flexes with the body rather than stiff solid bands.
- Long sleeves and long pants: widely required on mine sites for sun, abrasion and burns protection. Choose long-sleeve shirts in lightweight, vented fabrics to stay cooler.
- Two-tone garments: a fluoro upper with a navy lower hides dirt where it gathers on dusty, oily sites, and reduces how often garments look dirty while still meeting the standard.
- Vest or shirt: an over-vest is quick for visitors and short-term staff, but a taped shirt keeps tape and fluoro in place when a vest comes off in the crib room, so full-time crews usually end up in shirts or jackets.
Explore the full range of hi vis workwear Perth operators buy from, including hi vis shirts, polos, jackets, vests and custom hi vis clothing.
Heat, dust and UV: fabric choice
- Lightweight cotton drill and vented shirts with mesh under the arms and across the back stay cooler than heavy drill.
- Cotton or cotton-rich fabric is more tolerant of sparks and heat than polyester, which melts. Where there is any flame or arc risk, the fabric choice becomes a safety decision, not a comfort one (see Layer 2).
- UPF 50+ long sleeves shade skin from UV and radiant heat. Pair with a brimmed hard hat or legionnaire cover and neck protection.
- Dust and abrasion: tightly woven fabrics shed dust better and last longer than loose knits.
Wear life and replacement
Fluorescent colour fades with UV and washing, and tape loses reflectivity with abrasion and laundering. Check the care label's wash limit for the tape, and retire garments when the fluoro looks washed out beside a new one, when tape is cracked, peeling or dirty, or when the garment is torn. In the Pilbara sun, many crews replace hi vis annually, and camp laundries are tough on garments, so build replacement into the budget and keep a buffer of common sizes.
Layer 2: Flame retardant and arc-rated workwear for oil, gas and electrical
Where there is a flash fire or electrical arc flash risk, as in refineries, gas plants, processing facilities, drilling operations and electrical work, standard cotton or polyester hi vis is not enough. FR clothing is made so the fabric does not ignite readily, self-extinguishes and does not melt to the skin; arc-rated clothing is also tested for the energy of an electrical arc flash. Products are labelled HRC 1 / PPE 1 or HRC 2 / PPE 2, where HRC 2 is rated for a higher arc energy than HRC 1 (roughly 8 versus 4 cal/cm²). The right level comes from your arc flash study or risk assessment, not from price.
- Everything near the hazard counts. Synthetic underlayers, singlets and socks can melt and cause the injury the FR shirt was meant to prevent. Specify natural-fibre or FR underlayers.
- FR hi vis is its own product. A garment that is both FR and day/night hi vis must carry FR-compatible tape. Standard hi vis tape on an FR garment compromises the rating.
- Decoration must be FR-compatible too. Standard plastisol ink and DTF adhesive compromise the rating. We embroider FR garments with Madeira Fire Fighter aramid thread (ISO 15025 tested), Kevlar backing and FR bobbin thread, so the garment keeps its protection. Read our guide to FR embroidery on flame retardant workwear.
- Care affects protection. Follow the care label exactly, avoid fabric softener and bleach where the label says so, and retire burnt, torn or oil-contaminated garments.
- Cost is higher, and should be. FR garments often cost several times a standard drill garment, so a replacement schedule belongs in the budget.
See the full range of fire retardant clothing and FR workwear.
Layer 3: The wider PPE kit
Clothing is one part of a site's PPE matrix. The Australian Standards behind the rest of the kit are worth knowing when you check an order against a site requirement:
| PPE item | Standard to check | What to look for on a resources site |
|---|---|---|
| Hi vis clothing | AS/NZS 4602.1 (tape to AS/NZS 1906.4) | Class D/N, site-approved colour and tape pattern, long sleeves |
| Flame retardant and arc-rated clothing | Label rating (HRC / PPE category, ISO 15025 flame test) | Rating matched to the arc flash study; FR tape and thread; FR underlayers |
| Safety footwear | AS/NZS 2210.3 | Toe cap, metatarsal guard where required, slip-resistant sole, heat-resistant sole for hot surfaces |
| Hard hats | AS/NZS 1801 | Vented shells for heat, brims for sun, company colours or stickers per the site code |
| Work gloves | AS/NZS 2161 | Cut, impact, chemical and anti-vibration ratings matched to the task |
Eye and hearing protection sit in the same matrix (to AS/NZS 1337.1 and AS/NZS 1270), and we recommend confirming the exact requirement for each task with your HSE team. Our range covers the clothing, footwear, hard hats and gloves side of the matrix, so a crew can be kitted from one order.
Layer 4: Corporate office uniforms for mining, oil and gas companies
Resources companies with head offices in the Perth CBD and West Perth often outfit their office, finance, HR, technical and executive teams in uniforms or branded corporate wear, and need those teams to look aligned with the field crew. Office uniforms are also useful for site-visit staff and service providers who move between the two worlds.
- Shirts, blouses and polos in the corporate palette. Choose business shirts, blouses and polos from ranges such as Biz Collection, Benchmark and JB's Wear. Browse business and corporate shirts, men's business shirts and men's and women's polo shirts.
- Embroider the chest logo. Embroidery is the standard for office wear: refined, hard wearing under regular laundering and suited to shirts, blouses and jackets. Specify a consistent logo size and placement across all garments.
- Match field and office colours. Align the navy, grey or brand colour of office wear with the contrast panels on the hi vis range so the group reads as one brand.
- Women's cuts matter. Specify women's shirts and blouses in proper women's patterns, not smaller unisex sizes, for comfort and a professional look.
- Site-visit kit for office staff. Keep a small kit available for office-based staff and executives visiting operations: a hi vis vest or shirt in the site-approved class and colour, safety boots, hard hat and gloves, in a range of sizes. A compliant vest is the quickest solution for short visits.
- Visitor and contractor stock. Printed or embroidered visitor vests and caps reinforce the brand and make it clear who is on site as a guest.
Decorating mining and oil and gas uniforms
| Garment | Recommended decoration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard hi vis shirts and polos | Embroidered chest logo; screen printed back on 11 or more | Keep all branding on fluoro or contrast panels, never over tape |
| Small batches, new contractors, mixed garments | Embroidery or DTF | No minimum on either; DTF handles complex logos and gradients |
| FR and arc-rated garments | FR embroidery only | Aramid thread, Kevlar backing and FR bobbin; no standard prints or DTF |
| Corporate shirts, blouses, jackets | Embroidered chest logo | Consistent size and placement; reversed logo colours on dark garments |
| Visitor vests and caps | Screen print or embroidery | Print on vests keeps cost per piece low in bulk |
- Keep logos off the tape. Stitching or printing over retroreflective tape reduces its reflectivity and may make a garment non-compliant.
- Contrast matters. A navy logo on fluoro orange reads at distance; a pale logo on a navy lower panel often disappears. We reverse logo colours when needed.
- Name and employee ID. Embroidered names and company numbers on the chest help supervisors and emergency response, and are easier to read than tags.
- Supply vector artwork. With a vector file (.ai, .eps, .pdf or .cdr) there are no setup, screen or digitising fees at Flash Uniforms, and you get an artwork proof before anything is stitched or printed. Read about embroidery, screen printing and DTF printing.
Running a repeatable ordering program
- Collect the PPE matrix. Get the operator's or client's current requirements for each role and site, and record class, colour, tape pattern, FR rating and footwear specification.
- Define role kits. For example: field operator (D/N shirt, pants, boots, hat, gloves), electrician (FR hi vis shirt and pants), supervisor (D/N jacket, embroidered name), office (corporate shirt and jacket), visitor (vest and cap).
- Trial sizes. Brands fit differently. Try samples with a cross-section of staff, record sizes, then place the full order. Offer men's and women's cuts.
- Lock in the logo. Approve artwork, colours and placements once, so every reorder matches across sites, contractors and offices.
- Plan replacement. Hi vis is often replaced annually, FR to the schedule in your safety management plan, and office wear every one to three years. Hold a buffer of common sizes for new starters.
- Make ordering easy. A staff ordering portal lets employees order their own sizes against your company account, with the approved logo preloaded.
- Plan delivery. Deliveries to FIFO workers, depots and regional sites are $14.95 flat-rate Australia-wide, or collect from Wangara. Allow up to about three weeks end to end for decorated orders when stock must be ordered in, and give us the date you need it by.
For the full process, read our guide on how to order work uniforms for your Perth business.
Common mistakes we see
- Ordering day-only hi vis for a D/N site.
- Buying FR shirts but leaving workers in synthetic underlayers.
- Embroidering or printing across reflective tape.
- Choosing garments before collecting the client's PPE matrix.
- Using different logo sizes or thread colours across suppliers, so contractors and office staff look inconsistent.
- Leaving replacement until the garment fails the site audit, forcing rush orders.
- Ordering new starters one at a time instead of holding a buffer.
Visit or contact Flash Uniforms
Tell us the site requirements, roles and numbers, and we will recommend garments, quote decoration and confirm lead times before you commit. Browse workwear Perth or custom workwear Perth, contact us online, or call in:
Flash Uniforms
1/62 Destiny Way, Wangara WA 6065
Phone: 08 9240 1600
Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 2:00pm
Frequently asked questions
What hi vis do I need for a WA mine site?
Most mine sites require Class D/N hi vis (fluoro fabric plus retroreflective tape) to AS/NZS 4602.1, usually in long sleeves and long pants, in the colour and tape pattern the operator specifies. Orange is common on WA mine and rail sites. Always check the site's PPE requirements before ordering.
Is orange or yellow hi vis better?
Both are compliant fluoro colours. Choose the one your employer, principal contractor or site specifies.
What is the difference between FR and arc-rated clothing?
FR clothing resists ignition and self-extinguishes. Arc-rated clothing is also tested for protection against the energy of an electrical arc flash, shown as an HRC or PPE category. Many garments are both; your risk assessment decides the level required.
Can FR garments be embroidered?
Yes, using FR-compatible aramid thread, Kevlar backing and FR bobbin thread so the garment keeps its protection. Standard screen prints and DTF should not be used on FR garments.
Can you supply corporate uniforms as well as site workwear?
Yes. We supply business shirts, blouses, polos, jackets and accessories for office teams alongside hi vis, FR and PPE, and decorate everything in house so field and office wear match.
Is there a minimum order?
There is no minimum for embroidery or DTF printing. Screen printing starts at 11 garments with the same design, ink colour and position.
How long does an order take?
Decoration usually takes 1 to 2 weeks from artwork approval, plus time for garments that need to be ordered in. Allow up to about three weeks end to end, and tell us your deadline when you order.
Can you deliver to regional and FIFO workers?
Yes. We ship Australia-wide for a flat $14.95. You can also collect from our Wangara store.
How do I set up a company ordering program?
Contact us with your roles, sites and logo. We can set up an approved range and a staff ordering portal so each employee orders their own sizes against your company account.
About the author: UP Jina runs production at Flash Uniforms in Wangara, Western Australia, where the team has embroidered and screen printed uniforms since 1985 and added in-house DTF digital printing in recent years. Flash Uniforms supplies custom workwear, hi vis, FR clothing, PPE, corporate uniforms, medical scrubs and team wear to businesses across Australia.