When should you wear reflective safety gear? The answer seems obvious, but it is just a little more complicated than just wearing the reflective gear at night. In this article, we explore the situations where reflective gear helps to create a safe working environment and a few other instances when reflective safety gear makes the difference.
REFLECTIVE SAFETY GEAR AS A TOOL OF SAFETY
The reflective aspects of safety gear were added to make safety gear stand out during low-light situations and at night. As such, reflective safety gear should be worn at night and also during the day. As a safety standard, protective clothing with reflective strips should be mandatory for all jobs. In the daytime, the bright colors help to keep workers safe, and as the sun begins to set, the reflectiveness of the strips help equipment operators, drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians to identify workers.
The primary reason reflective clothing was adopted was to help drivers see the location of road workers. Reflective clothing also helps to prevent injuries and deaths of workers who work in the path of or near heavy equipment. Even in the daytime the brightly colored clothing makes a difference to the safety of highway workers, construction workers, and even pedestrians.
WHEN IS IT NECESSARY TO WEAR REFLECTIVE SAFETY GEAR?
The obvious answer is at night, and since many states now do highway construction at night, the safety of those workers becomes paramount. Reflective safety equipment should also be mandatory in the daytime as the quality of light changes. Early mornings and evenings are times when lighting may not be enough for brightly colored clothing alone to keep people safe. The reflective stripes pick up light from headlamps and daytime running lights and work to keep workers safer. If you work in a building with equipment, such as new construction sites, then reflective safety equipment is a must.
Pedestrians: If you jog, ride a bike, or walk the dog early in the morning, or in the evening, then reflective safety clothing should become part of your uniform. Children who walk to school or ride bikes should also wear reflective clothing. Any time you are near traffic consider wearing reflective clothing such as a vest.
REFLECTIVE SAFETY GEAR OPTIONS
The primary piece of reflective safety gear is the standard yellow or orange work vest. They come in a variety of styles and offer a range of reflective striping. Some safety vests have additional striping that work well in high-risk work areas. Others are standardized and work well for pedestrians. The benefit of safety vest is increased visibility, but for kids and adults, they fold easily and can be taken in a backpack. As more people ride their bikes to work, safety vests become the standard go-to safety gear for those who share the road with cars. Reflective safety tape can also be used to add reflectivity to hard hats and other safety clothing.
Increase the safety and protection of your entire workforce by making top-grade reflective safety gear mandatory for all of your workers 24 hours per day. Transline offers an amazing selection of reflective safety gear at great prices. Invest in the safety of your team today.
