Around 10 construction site workers die each year in the UK due to accidents involving vehicles and around 90 are seriously injured. Therefore, site managers and health and safety managers should ensure that adequate hi-vis clothing is being worn in the appropriate situations.
Wearing hi-vis clothing can significantly reduce the likelihood of being involved in an accident or fatality, especially when working in high risk environments. There is a wide range of different types of hi-vis clothing and there are different classes that are required under the EN ISO 20471 standards.
There are three classes of hi-vis; class 1, class 2 and class 3. Class 3 is the highest level of fluorescence and reflection, with visibility at 0.80 sqm away. People working in high risk jobs are required to wear clothing with the highest level of visibility. Generally, people who are working in dark environments or where there are moving vehicles would be regarded as at high risk.
For example, people working for the emergency services, people working near to traffic and on construction sites should wear high visibility clothing for protection. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide the relevant hi-vis clothing if they are exposed to significant risks to their safety. The costs should be paid for by the employer, who is also responsible for providing adequate training on wearing PPE on site.
People working on the railways, road crossing guards, parking attendants, utility workers, road surveyors and heavy equipment operators are additional occupations where hi-visibility clothing should be worn to protect workers.
Suitability for the work being carried out
Another factor to be considered when deciding on what type of hi-vis clothing is necessary is the type of work involved. Some hi-vis clothing such as jackets might prevent workers from being able to perform their job, as they can restrict movement. Additionally, jackets might be too hot to work in, either in hot weather or working in a hot environment.
This is why you are able to choose from vests, t-shirts, trousers, jackets and hats in high visibility clothing, to suit all different types of work. For construction workers, the type of hi-vis items that are needed would depend on the site and type of work involved. Someone working on a site where there is traffic would need the highest class of hi-vis clothing to ensure they are as visible as possible.
Fixfirm has a large range of affordable, high quality hi-vis clothing for construction workers, including waistcoats/vests, trousers, jackets, polo shirts and t-shirts. All products conform to the EN ISO 20471 and are available in a selection of colours.
Class 2 yellow hi-vis waistcoats are available from as little as £3.01 plus VAT, so you can easily kit your construction team out with adequate hi-vis clothing to keep them protected at work.
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