High visibility clothing, also known as high vis, is an integral part of PPE. However, many workers don’t realise how important it is. This results in dirty, or obscured high vis that doesn’t do its job. But with the proper gear and maintenance, high vis clothing keeps workers safe and comfortable.
Properly maintained high vis clothing is beneficial to everyone on the job site. To help your employees understand the importance of high visibility clothing to their PPE, we’ve gathered 7 reasons you should wear PPE.
1. Increased visibility
Most people are confident in their ability to pick out people on the worksite. However, all the action and movement on a worksite makes seeing workers more difficult than most people realise. Add to that the frequent dust that can cling to clothes and workers often begin to take on a worksite camouflage, which is dangerous.
Whether the sun’s gone down and it’s hard to see, or the sky’s clear and blue, high visibility clothes attracts the eye, making workers easier to see.
2. Weather-resistant visibility
Heavy rain and other weather systems can move in quickly and drastically reduce visibility for everyone. High vis rain suits offer both the safety of maintaining your visibility while maintaining your comfort.
3. Recognizability
Making employees noticeable is only half the work of high visibility clothing. When everyone on site is wearing high visibility clothing, operators have an extra, visual cue to recognize people. That way, they can make better, safer decisions.
4. Shows you belong
Beyond keeping you safe, high vis vests maintain the integrity of the worksite by giving all workers a standardized ‘uniform’. This gives supervisors the ability to quickly scan the worksite for unexpected visitors.
5. Functionality
Many high vis vests are designed for specific jobs, like the surveyor’s vest. By opting for clothes that are designed for your job and your worksite, you not only maintain your safety, and that of those around you, you prepare yourself for your job.
6. Durability
High vis clothing was designed for the worksite. Most high vis is constructed of tough fibres, like polyester, that keeps it going long after most streetwear has given up the ghost. By sticking to high visibility clothing, you’ll extend the life of your clothes.
7. Legal requirements
For many workers, the Canadian government requires high visibility clothing. Not wearing it can have serious repercussions for employers and employees alike. If you’re looking for specifics about Canadian law regarding high vis, check ou the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Site.
The benefits of high vis
Finding the proper high vis for your job and your application not only keeps you and those around you safe, but also offers a host of benefits that will help you, and everyone else on the worksite, do their job better.
Find the right high vis clothing for you and your job at Colony Distribution.