High Visibility Clothing

WHAT IS HIGH-VISIBILITY SAFETY CLOTHING?

High-visibility safety workwear is exactly what it sounds like. It’s any piece of clothing that makes you more visible to others whether on a building site, driving or walking across the road. This can be in jackets, vests, shirts, and pants with bright colours or reflective features.

Wearing high-visibility clothing increases your chances of getting seen by other people, which plays a vital role in everyone’s safety. The following should be able to spot you, whether you’re working, walking, or in a stationary position:

• Drivers, especially those who operate trucks and other heavy vehicles
• Workers on busy roads
• Construction workers
• Heavy industry workers
• Railway and roadway staff
• Survey crews
• Safety employees, such as security guards working at night
• Emergency response personnel
• Police officers
• Electric and utility workers
• Fire department personnel
• Airport and ground crews
• Employees who retrieve shopping carts from parking spaces
• Factory or warehouse personnel
• Accident site investigators

The list goes on.

The high visibility characteristic of the apparel stems from its colours, which are usually in choices of neon colours like green, yellow, and orange. These neon or fluorescent shades are unnaturally bright, allowing them to effortlessly “shine” amidst a dark background or poor lighting conditions. The stark contrast between the clothing and the surroundings makes it easy to spot the wearer, which is often crucial in many situations.

Some clothing options come with reflective strips that increase the wearer’s visibility, particularly in dim light conditions. This is critical for many workers in high-risk environments. For example, working on a construction site requires high-vis clothing, especially for the other workers. It helps the heavy equipment operators easily see the people present in the area, potentially saving them from horrific accidents.

WHY DO I NEED HIGH-VISIBILITY SAFETY WORKWEAR?

There are many reasons why wearing high-visibility clothing is essential. Visibility at night and during bad weather conditions are two of the primary purposes of these safety items. But that’s not all. If you’re someone who spends lots of time walking around town, especially after work, then wearing high-visibility clothes can make it easier for other people, including drivers, to see you. This results in fewer accidents on busy roads, thanks to the increased visibility.

Let’s face it. Safety, whether on the road or at a job site, is underrated. A lot of people fail to recognise the risks until an unfortunate event occurs. High visibility safety workwear is required in workplaces with increased risk due to poor visibility, low light, and moving vehicles and people.

Hi-vis items are helpful as drivers of vehicles and machine operators work. That’s because the human eye is trained to respond better and quicker when it can see bright objects in contrast to the surroundings. This is beneficial in work situations where the operators and drivers may not be able to control other people or their actions.

High visibility clothing is an essential piece of workwear for night time shifts. But it’s also used during the daytime, especially when there are moving vehicles and individuals.

In Australia, it is not a legal requirement to ensure workers wear appropriate high-visibility clothing. However, it is every employer’s responsibility to keep workers safe while in the vicinity. That includes requiring employees to wear protective clothing, such as high-vis apparel.

Here’s why people wear high-vis clothing, which does not have anything to do with safety. The clothing items help in distinguishing those who work on a certain site. Identification is often crucial in specific workplaces, especially those with potentially hazardous environments. It’s faster to identify the workers and visitors, which can aid in quickly removing unauthorised persons in the area.

WHERE CAN I FIND HIGH VISIBILITY CLOTHES?

Before you jump to buy hi-vis clothing, you should first know what to look for in these safety items. Make sure you choose a good quality option, which has the following characteristics:

• Durable: You’ll most likely wear your hi-vis clothing every day at work, which is why it makes good sense to look for a durable item. Preferably, it should be double stitched and can last you at least six months. It should not fade or rip, a common complaint in low-quality products.
• Washable: While you should never use bleach or harsh detergents on the material, especially the reflective stripes of the garment, it should be washable in the washer.
• Reflectivity: High-vis clothes have retroreflective panels, which should not only be efficient at night but during the daytime, as well. These panels or stripes should also have 360-degree visibility. For example, if you have a reflective vest and you lay it on a flat surface, you should still see about 40% of the reflective panels on either side.
• Comfortable: As with anything you wear, your hi-vis clothing should be comfortable. Some items can come in one size only, but there should be straps for adjusting the garment.
• Extras: Pockets are an excellent addition to the clothing. Most workers find having pockets handy when they need to store away items quickly.
• From a Reputable Source: Buy from a known shop with a good reputation. Read what customers are saying, especially about the quality of the products and return service if ever you need to return a product for any reason.