Choosing the best high visibility vests for your crew: A complete guide

For workers working in environments where high visibility is desirable, there is a wide choice of safety clothing available, including high-visibility safety vests, jackets, and trousers. If you want to outfit your staff in high-visibility clothes, you must be aware of how to choose the best safety clothing picks. This blog will provide you with some helpful advice.
Thu, Jan 19, 2023 3:21 PM
Choosing the best high visibility vests for your crew: A complete guide

Importance of using a high vis clothing:

Workers in the construction, utilities, police, emergency medical services, fire departments, road crews, flaggers, and airport ramp industries frequently encounter low visibility circumstances at work, which can frequently result in "struck-by" accidents that cause injuries or deaths. It is crucial when working on or near streets where moving cars and equipment are involved. These personnel must be seen, and wearing high-visibility clothing makes them more noticeable. Thus, safety vests are essential to ensure the safety of your employees while they are on the job site or working close to a road so that they can be spotted quickly and readily in a variety of lighting situations.

However, only the best high visibility apparel is powerful enough to help those in risky circumstances that call for its use. It can seem overly difficult to select the ideal safety vest for your employees. Buying a high-visibility vest involves a number of considerations. Take into account the needs of your employees. What time of year will they be donning the vests? Do you have a favourite style or material? What unique characteristics do you believe your staff may value or require? When selecting a safety vest, each of these considerations is essential. Continue reading to learn the most important qualities to consider while choosing high visibility clothes. By doing so, you may ensure that you're purchasing the appropriate high visibility clothing for your needs.

Consider the Vest's colour:

The colour of the vest is essential since different work situations are better suited to particular colours. The majority of safety vests are normally neon yellow or orange, but they can also be spotted in a variety of other hues, such as green, pink, red, white, blue, and many more. Although less visible, these colours can nevertheless be used in low-risk job settings. Usually, reflective tape or piping is included on vests for increased visibility. Additionally, each worker's involvement within the project can be indicated by the colour of their vest, which helps improve workplace productivity.

Consider the Vest's Classification:

The Australian Standard specifies the visual requirement for high visibility safety garments. You should consider the classification of the vest before choosing one for your employees. The garments specified in the Australian Standard AS/NZS4602.1:2011 are classified as follows:

1. Class D – a garment designed for daytime use only. Class D garments are intended to provide the wearer with high visibility under daylight viewing conditions and generally not effective when viewed under artificial light.

2. Class N – a garment designed for night-time use only.

3. Class D/N – a garment designed for both day and night use, comprising retroreflective elements on a fluorescent or other non-retroreflective high visibility background material.

Take a peek at the vest's material:

There are a few different fabric options you might think about offering your employees for various wear or comfort possibilities. Polyester and cotton textiles each offer a different feel and experience. Additionally, the varied textiles offer a variety of advantages, such as water and flame resistance. To determine which vest cloth best meets the needs of your employees, consider the industry. The vest may also be made of solid, mesh, or a combination of the two materials. On a warm day, mesh can help employees stay cool. The amount of air that can flow through the garment is impacted by this. To further protect the worker from burns in the event of a probable fire, some vests can be manufactured with self-extinguishing material or they can be flame resistant (FR).

Keep in mind the appropriate season to wear the vest:

Make sure you purchase the appropriate type of high visibility apparel for the environment that the wearers will experience while making your purchase. Nothing is worse than working on a hot day while sporting a bulky jacket. Choose a safety vest that is most suited for seasons with warmer temperatures, such as summer, spring, and early fall. These are perfect for workers to stay comfortable on hot days or even in pleasant conditions, such windy spring days. You might advise your employees to wear high visibility shirts or vests over their winter clothes in frigid climates. Investing in high-visibility winter clothing is a better choice. Both their appearance and comfort will improve as a result.

Consider the Features and different design preferences:

There are several styles available for you to pick from that will suit your demands, look good, and have different functions that you may find useful for your staff. Consider a safety vest with pockets for pencils, cell phones, or other essential items, for example. Additionally, Velcro and zippers are useful and functional components for workers to provide comfort and versatility. In addition to being functional and aesthetically beautiful, zipper and Velcro designs offer an easy way to put on and take off this safety equipment.

Customise your clothing:

Your organisation will look more professional by using a bespoke logo or design on your high visibility clothing. Anyone can give the appearance of authority by purchasing inexpensive fluorescent vests from a retail outlet. Your personnel can be distinguished from the general public with a high visibility vest and a logo or design. Pedestrians will be aware of who is working and your level of authority. This is crucial for businesses that provide public services, like utility and construction firms, but it can also make any organisation, no matter what its purpose, appear more professional. Thus, an excellent method to guarantee that your employees wear high visibility apparel in the field is to incorporate a personalised logo into their uniform.

Suitable Applications for High Vis Clothing:

We've talked about how to make sure you get high visibility gear that is compatible so far. It is also your duty to make sure the garment is worn appropriately. Establish company procedures and standards to guarantee that clothing is worn properly and that employees are aware of why clothing would be ineffective if worn improperly and for the wrong purposes. Have a look at the suggestions below:

• Keep clothing in a cool, dry place to prevent heat-related degradation of retroreflective and fluorescent materials.

• Regularly inspect the clothing and replace it if it is seriously damaged, filthy, or faded.

• Keep clothing clean by washing/cleaning according to manufacturer's directions.

• "In constant use, clothes should be thoroughly inspected every three to six months."

It's crucial to realise that any garment's high visibility qualities will decrease with time as they fade, stretch, and are washed. By using the four suggestions listed above, you can guarantee that you're changing your staff's uniforms frequently enough to keep them visible and secure.

STAY VISIBLE AND STAY HAPPY

Around the world, wearing high visibility apparel is essential to ensuring the health and safety of workers who are at danger. You owe it to your staff to outfit them in the best high visibility clothes available. In order to make a decision and proceed with placing a purchase, browse and verify the stores that are available in your country or city. Be sure to refer to this guide.

Contact us right away to place an order so that we can walk you through the entire procedure. Your happiness is assured and you will receive excellent service and high visibility clothes.

Thanks for reading!!