High visibility (Hi-Vis) clothing is a form of personal protective equipment worn by workers to enhance their visibility so that they can be seen clearly at different work sites. This type of clothing is useful to make the workers visible to drivers, and other vehicle operators, especially in the dark. Workers can also wear high-visibility headwear when it is dark or when working in confined spaces. The design of high visibility clothing is made according to the CSA Standard Z96-15 (R2020), high visibility safety apparel. You can find these clothes in many colours, but orange and yellow are the most common.
Why is High-Visibility Clothing Used?
Hi-Vis clothing is a type of individual defensive hardware, and visibility clothing is worn to build an individual’s visibility and, along these lines, forestall mishaps brought about by people not being seen. Accordingly, it is often worn in occupations where perilous circumstances are made by moving vehicles or low lighting conditions.
Components of Hi-Vis Clothing
The most common types of high visibility clothing are vests, but you can also find other items like Hi-Vis shirts, jackets, pants, coveralls, and even smaller products like gloves that protect your workers. High-visibility clothing has two components:
Colourful Fluorescent elements are constructed from special pigments and are brighter than standard colours. These colours mirror undetectable bright light from the sun as a glorious, noticeable light. Fluorescent varieties take advantage of any current daylight and should be visible all the more effectively in low-light circumstances like nightfall, sunrise, and on shady days. They likewise give a definite difference against most regular or artificial foundations.
Reflective tape, strips, or other elements are constructed from a material reflecting light to where it originally comes from. Reflective materials are more useful in darkness because they do not provide enough contrast in daylight.
Where Are Hi-Vis Clothing Used?
The occupations in which they are used include railway and road workers, emergency services, and airport workers. Cyclists and motorcyclists may also wear high-visibility clothing to increase their visibility when driving in motor traffic. Hunters often use Hi-Vis clothing to avoid any accidental shooting.
Note: You will find some reflective tapes on the clothing, which reflect about 82% of the source light, which can cause retinal damage. It is therefore suggested that professional truck/bus drivers, aircraft pilots, and operators of heavy machinery do not use highly reflective clothing while on the job to prevent such damage.