Important Things You Should Know About Hi Vis Safety Clothing

Hi-Vis safety clothing is a type of personal protective equipment that is designed to keep you safe. Protecting industrial, utility, electrical, & construction workers on the job is no small feat. It requires appropriate PPE and can often require high visibility clothing. Hi-Vis clothing is not only important from a safety standpoint, but it also boosts visibility, making you more noticeable to drivers, other workers, and other pedestrians.

This blog post will cover some of the most important things that you should know about Hi-Vis clothing.

What is Hi-Vis Safety Clothing?

Hi-Vis safety clothing includes any type of apparel that has been designed to be highly visible. It can often include jackets, vests, shirts, pants, and even gloves or hats. These items are usually bright in color and reflective, so they stand out from other people on the road as well as protect you by helping drivers see where you are when visibility gets low because of fog or dark conditions like nighttime.

Hi-vis clothing has two components.

• Colorful fluorescent elements: These fluorescent elements are made with special pigments that are brighter than normal colors: These pigments reflect invisible UV light from the sun as a bright, visible light. The fluorescent elements of hi-vis clothing make the most of any existing light, and thus, they can be seen easily in low light conditions such as dusk, dawn & cloudy days. The fluorescent element of hi-vis safety clothing also provides a strong visible contrast against most backgrounds, whether natural or manmade.
• Reflective strips/tape: These strips/tapes are made from materials that reflect light back to where it comes from. This reflective material is most effective in darkness, as they don’t provide much contrast in daylight conditions.

Most high visibility clothing comes with a combination of both these components, such as a fluorescent-colored vest/jackets with reflective strips or materials that are both fluorescent & reflective.

Why Wearing Hi-Vis Clothing Critical for Safety?

Hi-vis safety clothing provides protection against workplace accidents & injuries by making the worker visible to each other and anyone else who may be in the same area. This clothing type is particularly important for workers in the gas & electrical utility industry, and in the transportation industry, such as railways, highway, & airport workers. Construction workers, first responders, surveyors, sanitation & warehouse workers also benefit from the increased visibility of these clothing types.

The key to maximize the high visibility safety features is choosing hi-vis clothing that will provide the most contrast between your worker’s body & their surroundings. Make sure that the high visibility safety clothing you choose won’t blend into your work environment in any way. 

What Should You Keep in Mind While Buying Hi-Vis Clothing? 

The most significant factors you should keep in mind while buying hi-vis clothing are:

Fit: You must review the sizes of the workers you’re buying for & what they’ll wear underneath. Make sure the hi-vis vest/jacket you’re buying is not too tight or loose. Consider the number of tools they’ll be carrying around. The garment should be large enough to accommodate their tools & not hinder the visibility. 

Coverage: Consider the percentage of the body that will be covered by the hi-vis garment. It is better to pick a jacket over a vest for nighttime to provide better coverage. Also, you should provide garments with fluorescent stripping on both the back & front for better visibility. Always remember smaller garments equal lower visibility.  

High quality: Make sure that the hi-vis garments you buy for your workers are of high quality. These garments should maintain fluorescence- polyester, acrylic & nylon fabrics keep their fluorescence for the longest time. Also, the garment should be close-knitted and, therefore, bright enough for low-light work areas.

Ending Note

Hi-Vis garments are crucial for most worksites, an important part of any construction site. Not only do they help workers to be seen, but also for the equipment and vehicles on a project as well. However, it is imperative that you choose the right garment that ensures workers are safe and efficient while they’re working!