High-Visibility Clothing

With so many moving parts, construction sites can be busy and even hectic at times. Sometimes accidents may occur simply because someone is not seen.

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While it may seem obvious, making sure that others can see you is extremely important for overall safety on a job site. One way to make sure that you are as safe as possible is by wearing high-visibility, or high-vis, clothing.

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Different Types of High-vis Garments

Different kinds of high-visibility clothing may meet the ANSI/ISEA standard. For every high-vis garment, there are two components to be mindful of: a background fabric color and reflective tape. The background fabric can come in a variety of bright colors. The reflective tape is intended to help others distinguish you as a person and not another brightly colored control device, such as a traffic cone.

High-vis clothing comes in different classes:

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• Class 1—This type of high-vis garment does not meet ANSI/ISEA standards for providing ample safety during work that requires high-vis clothing. Class 1 garments are typically smaller vests that do not provide a lot of material. These garments might be appropriate for work done on sidewalks or as a parking lot attendant.

• Class 2—These garments will meet minimum standards for federal agencies. They are larger than Class 1 clothing and are made with more background material and more reflective tape. Examples of situations in which Class 2 garments are generally suitable include work during the daytime, on roads with lower speed limits and in areas where a physical barrier exists between traffic and workers.

• Class 3—This type of high-vis clothing provides the highest level of visibility for the wearer. These garments are either full-length pants or have long-sleeves to provide the most background and reflective material. Class 3 gear should be worn for duties such as when working at night, in areas without a barrier protecting workers and on high-speed roadways.

• Class E—Class E is a subclass that includes pants or shorts. Combining Class E lower-body attire with a Class 2 upper-body garment will qualify the overall ensemble as Class 3. This may be useful for workers on shifts that span different parts of the day, as a worker could be in compliance with a Class 2 garment while it is light out, and be able to simply add the Class E pants or shorts after dark to upgrade their outfit to Class 3.

 

Taking Care of High-vis Clothing

The brightness, reflectivity and overall condition of high-vis clothing can be the difference between staying safe and having a serious accident. Accordingly, the gear being used by workers must be in good condition.

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There are no guarantees on how long high-vis clothing will last, but according to the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), apparel worn daily can generally be trusted for six months. A garment that is occasionally used can have a service life of up to three years. Because of the potential for those estimates to vary, workers must regularly evaluate their high-vis clothing and treat it with care.

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Things to Keep in Mind

In addition to the class and condition of high-vis clothing, other things must be taken into consideration to ensure worker safety. When using high-vis garments, consider the following:

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• Make sure garments not only provide high visibility, but also fit properly, as loose-fitting, or baggy clothing is a hazard.

• Do not cover up your high-vis clothing with a jacket or sweatshirt.

• Keep high-vis clothing as clean as possible.

• Do not use worn, damaged or excessively dirty clothing.

• When possible, consider environmental conditions and select clothing that you will be comfortable in.

 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding high-visibility clothing, speak with your supervisor.

 

Provided by: Hausmann-Johnson Insurance