High-visibility employee workwear is an essential piece of personal protective equipment for several workers in various industries. While we may think of the more common applications – such as construction work – there are several jobs where high visibility clothing adds an extra level of protection. With high-visibility workwear, you can keep your employees safe and reduce the number of accidents that occur in low-light or fast-paced environments.
What Is High Visibility Workwear
High visibility workwear is any garment, such as jackets, pants, vests, coveralls, and hats, that workers wear to increase their visibility to others. High-visibility workwear is critical for workers who encounter moving vehicles, construction equipment, and/or work in low-light environments.
High-visibility clothing is typically bright or neon-colored, such as orange, yellow, and green. It includes reflective taping or materials that make it more easily detectable from any background. High-visibility garments come in many styles, including vests, work shirts, work pants, jackets.
Regulatory Requirements for High-Visibility Workwear
OSHA and Federal Highway Administration standards require highway/road construction work zone employees to wear high visibility garments in two specific circumstances: when they work as flaggers and when they are exposed to public vehicular traffic in the vicinity of excavations. However, OSHA notes that for any workers exposed to the danger of being struck by vehicles, the general duty clause requires similar protections. This includes workers that spend time in a parking lot or garage.
OSHA and the Federal Highway Administration require high-visibility garments to comply with the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) 107-2020 standard. The ANSI standard specifies different types and performance classes of high-visibility clothing depending on the work environment.
The following occupations are most often exposed to the hazard of being struck by vehicles or equipment and should wear high visibility workwear while on the job:
- Construction workers and road construction workers
- Rail workers
- Heavy equipment operators
- Engineering and utility workers
- Emergency responders
- Crossing guards, parking attendants, shopping cart retrieval
- Airport ground crews
- Event Security
- Garbage and refuse collection workers
- Truck and delivery drivers
- Tow truck drivers
Which Employees Should Consider High-Visibility Workwear?
High visibility workwear is an extra level of protection for your employees even when not required. When an employee works in an environment with poor lighting, unmarked pedestrian pathways, high vehicle or equipment traffic, or to stand out to customers and visitors, consider incorporating high visibility garments into their employee uniforms.
Facilities and Grounds Workers
Facility and groundskeeping workers are moving inside and outside your building. They can be in unexpected places while performing maintenance, landscaping work, snow and ice removal, or repairs. A high-visibility work shirt or vest helps alert co-workers, customers, and other visitors that they are there. And branded high-visibility garments offer everyone an added level of comfort and security.
Warehouse and Loading Dock Workers
Loading docks and warehouse environments are constantly changing. Not to mention the equipment and machinery moving around the facility, including forklifts, pallet jacks, hand trucks, and even cranes or hoists. Employees in these settings never know who or what will be around the corner. High-visibility workwear keeps them visible to anyone they encounter.
Supervisors & Key Personnel
High visibility workwear can be worn by anyone you want to stand out to employees or visitors, especially if those persons move about your building or facility. In a manufacturing setting, your shift supervisors or key leaders may wear high-visibility clothing so employees can find them quickly and easily. At an event, branded high-visibility clothing can be worn by event ambassadors, ushers, or hospitality workers, so attendees can know who is available to answer questions or help.
Even if your employees don’t need high-visibility clothing all the time, consider keeping a few garments on hand just in case. High visibility vests or jackets can be worn by multiple employees anytime the need arises.
Providing high-visibility clothing is essential to keeping your employees safe on the job, whether it’s required by law or as an added level of protection when they need it. Whatever your work environment or industry, Roscoe Uniform will help you identify the right high-visibility work garments for your employees. Our employee uniform rental programs ensure you have clean, high-quality, comfortable, and effective high-visibility workwear for any job.
Contact us today for a quote on high-visibility workwear for your team!
