What is High-Visibility workwear? High-Visibility clothes, sometimes shortened to hi-vis, is clothing that is highly luminescent in color. Most colors are in the yellow or orange categories, which provide the brightness necessary to be seen in the dark or from far away. The most common examples are jackets or vests worn in the torso area, or pants and overalls worn below the waist. Health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulations often require the usage of high-visibility clothes as a form of personal protection for the user. High-Visibility clothing is often worn by people in occupations such as construction, transportation, cold storage, oil and gas, and emergency services.
Some of the key benefits of high-visibility clothes include the following:
1. Keeping Employees Visible
One of the primary benefits of hi-vis clothes is to help keep employees visible from a distance or in bad lighting. For example, when construction crews it can sometimes be very difficult to see them which can cause distractions and sometimes accidents. Having employees wear hivis clothing is a good way to keep them safe and avoid any mishaps.
2. Reduce Accidents
Hivis clothes also greatly reduce the chances of accidents in the workplace. Clothing itself can’t stop an accident, however, being able to be seen by fellow workers can definitely reduce the number of opportunities that an accident can occur. This in turn will help workers to feel safe and will ultimately make any job site a safer place to work.
3. Easier Recognition
Wearing hivis clothes makes it easier to recognize someone from a distance or in low light situations such as on a construction site or along the side of a road. Drivers will be able to see someone further ahead than a worker in regular clothing. Also, hivis clothing provides better employee credibility as people passing by will be more likely to follow their instructions and recognize them as more official.
4. Safety During Hazards
Hivis clothing can provide protection for workers who are working in bad weather or hazards. When working in conditions such as rain or snow, it can be very difficult to be seen, thus many times this offers opportunities for accidents and mistakes. This can be extremely costly for those workers who are operating heavy machinery or equipment.
5. Emergency Situations
Wearing hivis clothes is very important in emergencies and hazardous situations. Making it easier to spot employees can greatly reduce the number of things that go wrong on a job site. It can also be simpler to rescue workers if an emergency does occur on a work site.
6. Clothing Options
Another benefit of hivis clothes is that there are numerous clothing options for workers to choose from. This includes but is not limited to, jackets, vests, overalls, pants, hats, gloves, and even boots. There are many options for fluorescent colors in these styles of clothing that will not only provide warmth but also contrast in a work environment.
7. Safety Standards
Lastly, most hi-vis clothing is approved by safety councils and national safety organizations which help set the standards in the workplace. Hivis clothing has many classes that are worn by varying levels of workers. Construction workers, for example, are required to wear the brightest colored and most reflective colors available to ensure that they meet the safety requirements on a construction site.
When you’re working on a busy job site with traffic flying by and heavy equipment all around, you’ve got to stay seen to stay safe. But what kind of high-visibility (HiVis) workwear should construction workers wear when it’s freezing cold outside?
First, consider the local regulations or company requirements for how much HiVis fabric you’re required to wear. If you need to meet specific ANSI classes for Insulated HiVis Workwear, make sure you know which of the four different classes your job site requires. ANSI classes 1, 2, and 3 are usually required for road construction workers and are often required on commercial and residential building sites. RefrigiWear clearly lists ANSI ratings on all HiVis insulated workwear so you can shop with confidence that you’re getting construction jackets, work bibs, and safety vests that meet the requirements of your job.
Then, consider winter weather where you’re working. If you’re facing rain or sleet, you’ll want to be insulated HiVis rainwear. If you’re likely to work in snow and wind, you’ll want the flexible, grime-busting protection of hivis extreme softshell coats and bib overalls from RefrigiWear with protection down to -60°F. If winters in your area are generally mild, then lightweight softshell jackets, vests, and sweatshirts are your best bet for HiVis winter workwear.
You can’t do your job properly if you don’t choose the safest and most appropriate high-visibility insulated workwear for the job site and weather conditions. Shop a full range of HiVis insulated gear for construction workers, with cold weather protection from -60°F to 30°F, at RefrigiWear.