During a 10-year period, 63% of the deaths due to transportation events at road construction sites were due to a worker being struck by a vehicle. This is just one case that shows the need to wear hi-vis clothing. Wearing hi-vis clothing can increase a wearer’s visibility, helping to ensure accidents like these don’t happen. Together, Ritz Safety and Cordova want to ensure everyone is kept safe and seen. Keep reading to learn more about high visibility clothing and its importance.
What is hi-vis clothing?
Hi-vis clothing comes in many different forms. While vests are the most common type of hi-vis clothing available, you can also purchase hi-vis clothing as shirts, jackets, coveralls, pants, gloves, and more!
To be considered hi-vis clothing, there are two components that must be included. First, they must be made of, or have an element that is, a colorful fluorescent material. The most common colors are a fluorescent lime or orange. These colors are made with special pigments that make them reflect UV rays from the sun as a bright, visible light. Additionally, they must also have a reflective element – usually a strip or tape.
OSHA requires workers on highways and road construction work zones to wear hi-vis clothing whenever they are exposed to construction equipment or traffic. Other personnel that benefit from wearing hi-vis clothing are railway and airport workers, construction workers, surveyors, first responders, sanitation workers, warehouse workers, and those in the gas and electrical utility industry.
Why is it so important to wear high visibility clothing?
Hi-vis clothing is important for multiple different reasons. The overall reason being that it increases the chances of keeping everyone safe. Within this, there are many different benefits.
First, high-visibility clothing increases the chances of the wearer being seen in lowlight conditions. Whether it be at night or during inclement weather, the fluorescent colors and reflective tape can reflect back even the littlest light brightly to ensure it is seen by others. This allows workers to be more productive during lowlight conditions and continue working as other workers and drivers can still see them. This also allows for workers to work later into the night if the need arises, such as if they need to continue working to finish a project with a tight deadline.
High visibility clothing also gives drivers and operators more time to react. Without high visibility clothing, they may not see someone until it is too late for them to react safely. However, when persons are wearing high visibility clothing, they stand out from their environment more increasing the likelihood of the driver or operator seeing them sooner. When they see the person sooner, this gives them enough time to react and safely ensure an accident doesn’t occur.
Another benefit of high-vis clothing is that it can increase a safety-first mindset. When persons are wearing hi-vis clothing, they become more in tune with their surroundings and safety standards and practices. As they are more aware of the standards, they are more likely to follow the other safety standards laid out.
Additionally, high visibility clothing can help a company meet ANSI safety standards. Not only does this help ensure workers are kept safe and fatalities and accidents are reduced, but it helps the company as well. A lower number of accidents obviously looks a lot better for a company. Furthermore, this can help boost the culture of the company and increase employee morale, reduce turnovers, and increase productivity.
One other benefit of high visibility clothing is that it can act like a uniform. Hi-vis clothing can indicate the type of work a wearer does and can also distinguish workers from visitors in job sites or plants.
Overall, high-visibility clothing is very important to increase visibility of personnel to decrease accidents and fatalities and increase the chances of keeping everyone safe!
Cordova offers many different hi-vis options available to keep you safe and seen. Check them out some of them here or talk to us today about Cordova’s other hi-vis options.