The impact of the updated Fed OSHA rule requiring full FR has put a strain on the industry supply as well as PG&E’s fabric manufacturer, Westex. Below is an update from the PG&E FR Committee:
- Riverside Manufacturing was acquired by Affinity Apparel, a key company in the uniform industry. Affinity, working with Riverside, has an aggressive plan to address the backlog. Their stated goal is to have the majority of the backlog resolved by the end of November.
- They have committed significant resources to increase Riverside’s production, purchase additional fabric and are adding another distribution center to manage our orders to improve order processing.
- They have committed to continuously communicate to us the information necessary for us to monitor the back log and orders shipped both on an overall volume scale as well as by individual.
- They will be reaching out to employees and offering alternative options for those items most severely impacted. If contacted, please respond to their requests so that orders can ship in a timely manner.
- They will also purchase equivalent FR garments from other manufacturers until internal manufacturing can catch up with the demand. Any substitute garments will be made from FR fabric that has already been approved for use. They will inspect for quality and add logos on garments as required. The substituted clothing can be returned under the same guidelines as standard Riverside garments (i.e. not washed or worn).
- A new Westex knit fabric (Style 128) which is lighter in weight has been approved for use. This fabric will be used in the manufacture of T-Shirts, henleys and polo shirts, and will help to mitigate the backlog for these garments.
- All orders get prioritized by order date. However, during the backlog recovery new hires receiving their FR for the first time get expedited handling.
- If your current FR gets damaged and you order is still backlogged, contact Riverside Customer Service 1-800-841-8677 and alert them to your situation. Depending upon item stock levels they will change your order to request expedited processing.
- Report issues with FR to your supervisor or FR committee representative. For more information, contact John McCoy, FR Committee chairman: JQ17@pge.com or 415-328-5117.