Important things you should know about Hi-Vis Clothing
As the name suggests, high visibility clothing is the garments that make you visible in certain lighting conditions to keep you safe on the job. These clothing types protect you from collisions involving vehicles passing by the work site as well as from the on-site equipment. It is essential to understand the definition of high visibility (Hi-Vis) clothing and the relevant regulations to stay safe & compliant. Whether you’re working on a construction site, in a warehouse or any other job that requires you to be near vehicles or heavy equipment, hi-vis clothing may be both a requirement & a way to stay safe.
In this article, we will talk about the important things that you should know about high visibility clothing.
Why do we wear Hi-Vis Clothing?
Workers from a variety of fields wear hi-vis clothing which makes them easier to see. Various situations, such as working on the roadside or at night, make wearing this type of clothing an essential requirement. Depending upon your job location & work conditions, you may have to follow the mandatory guidelines from your state and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to wear Hi-Vis clothing that makes you easy to spot from a distance.
How do Hi-Vis Clothing works?
Hi-Vis clothing is made with bright fabric; it has a tape that reflects lights. The fluorescent-colored background highlights the wearer’s general location. The reflective tape surrounds the arms & torso of the wearer. These tapes ensure that even if a driver is unable to see the color of your clothing, they can still see your reflection by any nearby lighting sources. The tape on this clothing type distinguishes you from other brightly colored objects in that area, such as construction barrels & safety cones.
What are the safety benefits & features of Hi-Vis Clothing?
The main aspects of high visibility clothing are reflective tape & bright background coloring. The fabrics come in fluorescent shades of green, red, yellow, and orange-red. To ensure that your garment has the appropriate safety features that you need for your particular job, you must look for the ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 or ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 label. These labels indicate that workwear clothing adheres to the ANSI/ISEA standards. The ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 standard is the most recent standard that was adopted in 2015, while the latter refers to the guidelines from the year 2004.
(ANSI) American National Standards Institute and (ISEA) the International Safety Equipment Association. These two groups have set out the standards for high visibility safety apparel (HVSA).
In 2015, the standards were changed to allow for a better fit of hi-vis clothing for smaller workers. These standards also include information on using armbands & gloves to fit into the requirements. Labels on the Hi-Vis clothing that adhere to the most recent standards should have information about the clothing type, performance class & flame resistance.
When is Hi-Vis Clothing required?
High Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) is a requirement for specific jobs & circumstances. Hi-vis OSHA requirements include the following situations:
Flagging: Workers who job is to flag traffic along roadways need hi-vis clothing
Excavation: Workers who work near holes or pits & have exposure to vehicular traffic must wear Hi-Vis safety clothing.
Struck-By Dangers: A worker who is in work zones near traffic & is at risk of having vehicles hit them needs HVSA.
These were some of the important factors about Hi-Vis Clothing that you must know about to keep your employees safe.
