What is Hi Vis Clothing and Why is it Crucial for Safety?

Protecting industrial, utility, electrical, and construction workers on the job is no small feat. It requires appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and can often require high visibility clothing. High visibility, or hi vis vests

, is a type of apparel that workers wear to improve their visibility on a jobsite and ultimately, workplace safety.

High visibility clothing is most frequently worn to alert drivers and other equipment operators of where workers are located. It’s essential in dangerous conditions, such as in close proximity to roadways, in dark conditions, and in areas where workers might be blocked by trees, traffic barriers, or construction equipment.

What is Hi Vis clothing?

Vests are one of the most common types of high visibility apparel, but hi vis shirts, hi vis jackets, coveralls, pants, and even smaller items like gloves can keep your workers safe. Hi vis clothing has two components.

Colorful fluorescent elements made with special pigments, which are brighter than normal colors: These pigments reflect invisible ultraviolet light from the sun as a bright, visible light. Fluorescent colors make the most of any existing sunlight and can be seen more easily in low light conditions like dusk, dawn, and on cloudy days. They also provide a strong contrast against most backgrounds, whether natural or manmade.

Reflective strips, tape, or other elements made from materials that reflect light back to where it comes from: Reflective materials are the most effective in darkness, as they don’t provide much contrast in daylight conditions.

Most hi vis clothing includes a combination of both of these components, such as a fluorescent-colored vest with reflective strips or materials that are both fluorescent and reflective.

Why is Hi Vis clothing critical for safety?

Wearing hi vis clothing prevents workplace accidents and injuries by making sure that your workers will be seen by both each other and anyone else who may be in the area. This is particularly important for workers in the gas and electrical utility industry, and in the transportation industry, such as highway, railway, and airport workers. Construction workers, surveyors, first responders, sanitation workers, and warehouse workers also benefit from increased visibility.

When should you wear Hi Vis clothing?

The standard identifies garment types based on expected use settings and work activities on the job site. These are designated as off-road (type O), roadway and temporary traffic control (type R), or public safety activities (type P). There are additional standards and mandates to consider for settings and work activities.

Workers in other industries, such as sanitation and construction, are not required to wear high visibility safety apparel by this federal mandate but may choose to do so to protect workers.

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