When I got to the site, I realized I forgot my safety vest in the truck. I was only going to be there for a few minutes, so I didn’t want to walk all the way back for it. But when I was talking to the on-site supervisor, a car whizzed by and narrowly missed me. Between the fog and me not wearing the vest, I don’t think the driver could even see me.

Hi-Visibility Apparel

Hi-visibility safety apparel is designed to make you more visible to others. Under some circumstances, that visibility can mean the difference between life and death.

According to OSHA, there is one work zone fatality every eight hours – and one work zone injury every nine minutes.

And who is most at risk? You guessed it, it’s those who are working around vehicles and traffic.

When Is Hi-Visibility PPE Necessary?

Hi-vis safety apparel is essential for anyone working in low light and poor visibility, or around moving vehicles like cars, trucks, forklifts, and backhoes. ANSI standard 107 mandates 360-degree visibility to ensure the worker can be seen from all sides. The type of apparel required (classified as O, R, or P) will vary depending on the task and worksite (more on this below).

It’s important to begin by conducting a thorough risk assessment to determine the exact nature of the hazards on the work site and how to best manage them with hi-visibility gear. Assessments should consider:

  • The nature of the work being done
  • Whether workers might be exposed to heat or flames (necessitating flame-resistant PPE)
  • Temperature, visibility, and traffic flow, speed, and volume
  • Duration of exposure to traffic hazards
  • Visual characteristics of the background (e.g. simple, complex, rural, highway)
  • Vehicle operator sightlines, particularly when moving in reverse
  • Engineering controls and administrative controls already in place (such as barriers to separate workers from traffic)

A Hi-Vis Guide for Employers

Employers are responsible for providing appropriate PPE for the job – and this includes hi-visibility clothing. But if your workers aren’t wearing the right hi-vis gear for the application, they may not be as safe as you think.

There are three classes of hi-visibility safety apparel:

  • Class 1 provides low levels of coverage with good visibility
  • Class 2 provides moderate body coverage and superior visibility
  • Class 3 provides the most body coverage and offers visibility in poor lighting conditions and at great distances

Here’s a handy reference chart to help you determine what type of hi-vis clothing your workers might require.

In addition to providing gear, it’s a good idea to teach workers when to wear it, how to wear it, and any specific care instructions that will help maintain its quality. Engaging workers is key to ensuring compliance with safety rules and regulations, so make it fun and interactive for them – it will pay off.

Hi-Visibility Safety Tips for Workers

One of the most important things you can do is simply wear the PPE you’ve been provided. While this might seem too obvious to mention, it’s worth repeating and repeating often. Non-compliance costs lives every year – yours shouldn’t be one of them.

Workers should also be given regular reminders related to hi-vis apparel. Particularly important points include:

  • When to use hi-vis clothing
  • How to tell if your hi-vis apparel fits properly
  • Limitations of hi-vis apparel
  • Storing and maintaining hi-vis gear
  • How to check for signs of wear and tear
  • How to properly clean hi-vis apparel

Conclusion

We see those reflective vests and jackets so often that we start taking them for granted, but hi-visibility safety apparel can mean the difference between a worker making it home safely and a tragic event on the worksite.

Whether it’s warehouse work or road construction, identifying the job hazards, determining the level of visibility necessary, and training workers on the proper use and care of hi-vis PPE can help ensure your employees complete their shifts without a hitch.