BEING SEEN. THE BEST WAY TO AVOID BIG PROBLEMS.
Dear F.R.E.D.
I work construction and my supervisors want me to wear a Hi-Vis vest. I’m concerned about that. Over the past couple years, I’ve only kept my job because they can’t find me to fire me. On Fridays around 5:00 I usually lock myself in a portajohn and stay there till dark. This keeps me safe till the next Friday afternoon.
Now they are demanding that I wear one of these vests. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Hiding In Portajohn
Dear H.I.P.,
While there will be times you want to hide from your boss, there is never a good time to hide from a big front-end loader or someone driving a truck through your worksite.
Being seen is the best way to avoid becoming road kill.
According to the BLS, in 2004, there were 1,374 fatal highway incidents, about 25% of all fatal work injuries. Sometimes you get cowboys driving forklifts through a lumberyard, crane operators sitting hundreds of feet away from folks on the ground. And then there are the guys swinging ladders or firing pneumatic tools.
Workers must be conspicuous to avoid accidents and injury.
Rule #1: Just Because You See Them Does Not Mean That They See You.
How many quail hunters in Texas have learned that lesson the hard way? The fact is, 8-12% of American men are red-green colorblind. To these guys, even the old style “hot pink” and orange vests only stand out as much as camo gear in a duck blind. And if they are distracted by a cell phone or a hot cup of coffee, folks with hi vis on are even harder to see.
While these guys won’t be aiming for you, you have to wear stuff that is in their visible spectrum if you want more respect than a pile of 2X4's in the mud. You need clothing with a brightness and intensity that says, “That's something different!” That means ANSI 107-certified clothing. Class III Hi Vis apparel is a smart way to dress around any type of moving vehicle or equipment. The super bright hi vis lime or orange are not supposed to “go with” anything. These colors and reflective stripes were engineered to stand out, not to blend in.
Rule # 2: It's Washable For a Reason
Even though Class III apparel is obnoxiously bright, it will not burn through a layer of mud, or grease, or asphalt. Occasionally, you have to launder these garments to knock off the accumulated crud and keep them working the way they were engineered to. But be sure to follow the laundering instructions on each garment so you don’t wash away the components that make it hi-vis. (This is also a good idea to try occasionally with other workplace stuff, like your safety glasses, respirators, windshields, socks, etc.)
Rule # 3: Vests Are Just The Beginning
Sure, it's a good idea to light up your “center of mass,” but what about your extremities? You don’t want a coworker to see your torso, but then drop something on your hand. You wouldn’t want to be waving your arms to direct someone, then find out they only saw your vest.
Moving objects attract more attention than static objects. So accessorize! Simply walking while wearing hi vis pants or gloves will let others recognize you as a “real, live person” and not just another road cone.
Movement is especially important to attract attention at night, or in the rain, when driver visibility is limited. So unless you have a strobe light attached to your hard hat, think about Hi Vis Foul Weather Gear and hats as well.
RULE #4: It Ain't Geeky If It Fits
We all remember the vests we wore in gym class to tell one team from another. They fit about as well as a paper bag. That's the way Hi Vis clothing used to fit. Now great garments like Ergodyne's GloWear line come in sizes from small to 5XL. And several include adjustable straps. That means you can wear something that fits.
And if you'll wear it, you'll be seen. And you'll stay safe.
So come out of the portajohn.
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