High Vis Clothing and Your Safety: 5 Essential Things You Should Know
Workplaces with low light, hazardous working conditions require extra safety measures for their workers. Many safety measures are standardised and have been in place since the last few decades. One of the key elements of safety measures is High visibility clothing or high vis clothing. Read this blog to know more about 5 essential things business owners should know about high vis clothing and its role in increasing workplace safety.
What is High Vis Clothing?
High vis clothing, better known as high-visibility clothing or HV clothing is made from fluorescent materials. Fluorescent material is material of choice because of its property to reflect light. The fluorescent material used to manufacture high vis clothing is especially purposed to reflect light back to its source, this makes the person wearing high vis clothing highly visible in low light or dark environments. The most common industries that require HV clothing are construction, roadwork, transportation, and emergency services.
The Significance of High Vis Workwear and Safety
The significance of high vis clothing cannot be reiterated more as it significantly improves the visibility of workers in low light or hazardous environments. It majorly helps in preventing accidents by making workers more visible to drivers passing by and heavy machinery operators. In case of an accident or emergency situation, we rely on improved visibility of high vis clothing that can help in prompt identification of workers in dangerous situations and helps in conducting faster rescue operations.
Types of High Vis Clothing
With construction business booming, there has been an influx of many types of high vis clothing in the market. There are many types of high vis clothing and one can choose according to their need. Some of the highest selling HV clothing are high vis vest, high vis jacket, high vis shirts, jacket with reflectors, high vis overalls and much more. Make an informed choice while selecting high vis clothing depending on the industry and the hazards the respective workers may face on the job. Good quality high vis workwear includes additional safety features, like reflective strips, to further improve visibility.
Standards and Regulations of High Visibility Workwear
There are certain regulations and standards High vis clothing must meet to ensure their effectiveness in improving visibility and workplace safety. In New Zealand, the only two hi-vis colours that are allowed are yellow and red-orange. Red is only allowed if it lies in the orange spectrum. Take note that, normally, red is not considered a hi-vis colour as it is not easily visible for some people with a specific type of colour-blindness.
Care and Maintenance of High Vis Clothing
Over time, to maintain the efficacy of high vis clothing, it is of prime importance to care for it and maintain it properly. High vis clothing is to be strictly washed separately from other clothing to prevent damage to the reflective material. HV clothing is washed in cold water and dried on low heat to prevent shrinking or damage to the reflective material. High vis clothing should be replaced as and when it becomes faded, torn, or damaged, as this can reduce its visibility and effectiveness.In conclusion, high vis clothing is one of the essential safety measures for workers who need visibility in their low light or hazardous work environments. It not only prevents accidents, but also helps in prompt identification of workers in dangerous situations. There is no dearth in the variety of high vis clothing available and one can purchase according to their industry, the standards and regulations to be met, and how to care for it, increase safety of workers on the job. Buy best quality high vis clothing online only from Quality Uniforms, New Zealand.