Every day, thousands of RTE agents ensure the reliability of our electricity supply. But to work safely on very high voltage installations or in the middle of a storm, it is better to be well equipped! Focus on RTE's PPE textile strategy, in partnership with CEPOVETT Safety, to protect its teams throughout France.
RTE: the conductor of the electricity network
RTE (Electricity Transmission Network) manages the public electricity transmission network in France — the largest in Europe with more than 100,000 km of lines. Its mission: to guarantee at all times the safe supply of electricity throughout the country, whatever the conditions.
With 10,000 employees, including more than 4,000 field agents, RTE is a major industrial player in the energy transition.
Professions, risks... needs for custom-made equipment
Working at RTE means facing very different environments and risks:
- In electrical substations, risk of electric arc and need for highly regulated multi-risk PPE.
- On high-voltage lines, working at height, sometimes extreme weather, and the need for clothing as high-performing as mountain gear!
For RTE, it is impossible to offer a single solution: each profession, each task requires specially adapted technical clothing (protection, comfort, mobility, etc.).
Focus: Two families of clothing, two worlds of protection
At the heart of field professions at RTE, we distinguish two main groups of staff and therefore clothing needs.Understanding the specificities of each environment allows for a better grasp of the complexity and technicality of the PPE approach implemented with CEPOVETT Safety.
1. “Post” uniforms: the ultimate barrier against electric arc
So-called “Post” agents operate in electrical substations where very high voltage lines arrive and depart. This is where the danger of electric arc is at its highest: a simple incident, and the arc can generate temperatures of several thousand degrees, molten metal splashes, and a powerful shock wave.
In this context, protection is not optional:
- Category 3 multi-risk PPE: flame-retardant, arc-resistant, antistatic, in accordance with the strictest international standards (for example IEC 61482-2, EN ISO 11612…).
- Technical specification: the fabrics are treated to withstand extreme heat and prevent the spread of flames.
- Thoughtful design: ergonomic cuts to avoid restricting movement, reinforced seams, protected zippers, and no conductive elements.
- Breathability and comfort: even when highly protected, it must be possible to work under pressure without overheating or hindering movement.
In short, this is the ultimate in PPE designed for the most dangerous environments of the electrical network.
2. “Line” outfits: technical performance, just like in the mountains
In contrast, “Line” agents move from one pylon to another, often working at height, in the open countryside, across kilometers of networks all over France.Here, most interventions are carried out without power, but the conditions are tough: cold, rain, wind, sun, snow depending on the region and season.
Their equipment is their shield against the elements:
- Clothing inspired by mountaineering: selection of technical fabrics (waterproof-breathable membranes, softshell, stretch, etc.), fitted cuts for freedom of movement and compatible with fall-arrest harnesses.
- Total climate protection: jackets, down jackets, softshells, and pants designed to stay dry and warm, yet lightweight and robust. The fabrics are tested to withstand abrasion, wind, and heavy rain.
- Wearable technical features: numerous functional pockets accessible even when suspended, quick adjustments, reinforced panels on high-wear areas (knees, shoulders).
- Ergonomics and comfort: freedom of movement is essential for climbing, handling equipment, or spending several hours outdoors.
The objective: to enable each agent to remain mobile, efficient, safe, and dry, even in the most unpredictable weather conditions.
A co-constructed approach with CEPOVETT Safety
For nearly 10 years, CEPOVETT Safety has established itself as RTE’s trusted textile partner, going far beyond a simple PPE supplier.
Our method? Field listening, co-creation with agents, continuous innovation:
- “Poste” outfits: category 3 PPE clothing, flame-retardant, arc-resistant, antistatic, designed for safety but also for mobility.
- “Ligne” outfits: jackets, pants, ultra-technical softshells, lightweight and robust – inspired by mountaineering, harness-compatible and designed to withstand cold, wind, and rain.
+ A real focus on inclusion: women’s ranges co-developed with field users.
Continuous innovation, field feedback, ongoing development
Nothing is set in stone!
Each season, RTE and CEPOVETT Safety adapt the product ranges thanks to:
- Co-design workshops involving employees (including women, who are often overlooked in traditional PPE)
- Full-scale testing throughout France
- The choice of lightweight, breathable, waterproof materials, suited to climate and job requirements
- The integration of the latest high-performance textiles (membranes, stretch, etc.)
- Logistics adaptation to meet changing workforce and usage needs
Customer testimonial: safety? Yes, but comfort too!
"CEPOVETT Safety has established itself as a proactive and reliable partner.Our teams benefit from advanced and comfortable technical protection—a guarantee of acceptance and well-being at work. Their involvement with our employees marks real progress. »
Purchasing/PPE Manager RTE
And tomorrow? Towards the PPE of the future
The RTE 2025 collection heralds new advances: even higher-performing textiles, modernized cuts, and ever more attention paid to the user experience.
Next step for CEPOVETT Safety? The integration of eco-materials, textile innovations, and circular approaches, to meet regulatory... and environmental challenges.
In summary: Adapt, listen, innovate—this is the key to a PPE strategy that serves both the safety AND comfort of field teams, across the entire RTE network.
Are you an industrial professional or a QHSE manager? Let’s take inspiration from the RTE approach: involving users, combining field expertise and textile innovation—this is THE guarantee of performance… and acceptance!
Ready to rethink your teams’ PPE? Discover the CEPOVETT Safety approach!
