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What Type of Hi-Vis Clothing Do I Need?

Type of Hi-Vis Clothing Do I Need

Regardless of whether you’re a huge corporation or a small local business, every employer is responsible for the well-being of their employees. A key facet of this is providing employees with the correct hi-vis clothing or PPE.

To help you keep your staff safe on-site, below is a quick guide to help you decide on the best PPE for your workers.

Do my employees need hi-vis clothing? 

If your employees are at higher risk, then they must have and wear hi-vis clothing. Most professions that require hi-vis will be those that involve working near traffic, cranes, forklifts, or other heavy machinery.

What is the visibility class system?

To help keep employees safe, in the UK we have a visibility class system. Although it may sound complicated, this simply means that different types of workers will require different levels of protective clothing. The classes are made up of:

  • Class two – This class offers an intermediate level of protection and is made up of a waistcoat and trousers.
  • Class three – The highest level of protection, class three hi-vis includes a full-body suit made up of a coat and overalls.

A class two-style waistcoat will suffice for some professions like those that require employees to be near moving parts. For example, construction workers. However, if employees are required to work near traffic or use heavy machinery, full-body hi-vis clothing is a neccessity.

Orange vs Yellow? 

Once you’ve decided on what class you’ll need, you need to decide on the most appropriate color. Yet there’s much more to it than simply what looks best with your logo!

When to use yellow hi-vis

Yellow hi-vis garments are usually worn by construction workers and other personnel who work outdoors. You’ll find that many emergency responders or other road workers wear yellow hi-vis so they can be seen clearly in the daylight.

When to use orange hi-vis 

If your employees are particularly susceptible to injury (such as rail workers), these employees should have orange hi-vis clothing. Whilst yellow is clearly visible during both day and night, orange hi-vis is a better hazard identifier.

Although subconscious, orange hi-vis signals to road users and train drivers that there is a hazard up ahead. Therefore, it helps to keep everyone in these working conditions safe. What’s more, as orange does not occur naturally, it’ll stand out from any backdrop.

Final thoughts…

As a business owner, sometimes it’s easy to let things fall by the wayside. However, if you let anything slip, it shouldn’t be health and safety.

To ensure your employees aren't one of the 1.7 million people suffering from a work-related injury, get your PPE right. Treat your employees right by using the guide above. Then, your employees can be safe, happy, and productive onsite.

Have you got yours yet?

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