4 Factors to Consider When Choosing a High Visibility Jacket

Safety for workers in a high physical risk industry like construction goes beyond protective gloves and welding shields. Especially, if they operate on sites with high traffic and heavy machinery, around speeding vehicles with blind spots, or in low light conditions, they need high visibility (Hi-Vis) apparel to ensure they can be seen. 

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When worn appropriately, without coverings or distractions, Hi-Vis clothing saves lives and reduces injuries. For instance, drivers, other workers, or pedestrians can easily spot a worker in a high visibility jacket, reducing the chances of an accident. 

With many high visibility clothing on the market, choosing ones that work best for you can be challenging.

Luckily, considering the following factors will help you select the best high visibility jacket:

• The lighting conditions

• Different fabrics available

• Customization aspect

• Comfort and fit

1 - The Lighting Conditions in the Workstation

Before purchasing a high visibility jacket, it&#;s crucial to consider the time and location of its use. 

Workers in different industries operate under varying lighting conditions. For instance, a construction worker spends hours on site during the day when there&#;s adequate light. While an emergency responder working late at night will be on site when it&#;s dark.

Therefore, workers need high visibility jackets made from fluorescent materials during the day and Hi-Vis made from retroreflective materials at night to ensure safety and visibility. 

But what do these terms mean?

• A fluorescent material

  absorbs the sun&#;s UV light and reflects it on the viewer&#;s eyes as visible light. Jackets made of this material need a natural light source, and hence don&#;t glow in the dark.

• Retro-reflective material

  bounces back light to its source. For instance, at night, retro-reflective Hi-Vis will reflect light from a coming vehicle, making its wearer more visible. It&#;s often incorporated in a jacket through reflecting

  tapes or stripes

  .

The table below describes the appropriate material for workers depending on their lighting conditions.

• Hi-Vis jackets need to have a striking contrast with the environment to prevent blending. For instance, if you have lots of orange machinery at your site, go for fluorescent yellow-green (lime), which offers more contrast to the elements
• Use bright colors like orange, yellow, strong yellow, white, silver, and strong yellow-green (as directed by OSHA)
• Go with fluorescent materials because they work well with natural light

• Opt for brightly colored Hi-Vis jackets like lime and orange
• Choose Hi-Vis made using fluorescent material

• The Hi-Vis jacket need to be reflective enough to be seen at night
• Hi-Vis jackets made with a retro-reflective material are most ideal

2 - Type of Fabric

Fabric plays a huge role in determining your high visibility jacket&#;s durability.

Let&#;s take, for instance, cotton vs. polyester.

Cotton is a natural fiber that cannot absorb enough of the fluorescent dye color needed to make a reflective material. Thus it&#;s not vibrant enough to pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Testing Standards for high visibility safety apparel.

Polyester, on the other hand, is synthetic and not dyed through immersion, letting it maintain the Hi-Vis jacket&#;s brightness and fluorescent qualities even after washing. This makes it compliant with the ANSI standards.

Synthetic fabrics like polyester are also stronger than cotton, making them more durable. Since workers are more likely to wear their Hi-Vis jackets every day at work, it&#;s best to choose such hard-wearing fabrics. 

Other advantages of synthetic fabrics like polyester, acrylic, and nylon are: 

• They&#;re closely knitted and bright enough in low-light conditions.

• They feel smooth on the skin.

• They&#;re warmer on the body.

• They wick away moisture rather than absorbing it.

• They&#;re lightweight .

Expert Tip: If your workers are often exposed to fire and flammable substances, choose fire retardant fabrics like nylon and polyester. These will slow down or stop the spread of fire and reduce its intensity, making them ideal for emergencies.

3 - Customization Aspect

A logo says a lot about your business&#;it visually represents your organization&#;s goals, history, and gives it an identity. 

As an integral part of your brand representation, it&#;s crucial to display your logo on your worker&#;s Hi-Vis jacket. 

Most construction sites today have two or more businesses working simultaneously, and failing to tell workers apart can greatly hamper communication. Yet with your company logo on your workers&#; HI-Vis jackets, you&#;ll differentiate them from other workers.

Besides distinguishing workers on site, a branded Hi-Vis jacket:

• Creates a professional look and uniformity for workers

• Strengthens your brand by creating awareness 

• Promotes unity between workers

• Leaves a good impression of your business

But branding the Hi-Vis jackets is not enough&#;the logo placement is equally important.

Luckily, Jupmode can help you settle for the best logo placement. With a decade and a half worth of experience in the industry, we&#;ve come to learn the ins and outs of custom branding safety apparel and strategic placement of your company logo for maximum brand awareness. 

Related: Employee Apparel: 6 Safety Apparel Must Haves for Construction Workers

Here are some considerations on your logo&#;s placement:

• Your company logo should not conceal any of the jacket&#;s retro-reflective material.

• The logo needs to be small and not overpower the jacket&#;s fluorescence.

• Avoid multi-colored logos since they overshadow the safety clothing&#;s color background.

Expert Tip: Following these branding rules on your own can be cumbersome and time-consuming. But with the help of Jupmode, your workers will have their branded Hi-Vis jackets in no time. We&#;ll handle all the work for you, from design creation to custom embroidery.

4 - Fit and Comfort

Proper fit means the garment must be large enough to sit well on the body and stay in place during work. Additionally, it must leave sufficient space for appropriate clothing to be worn underneath.

Without a proper and comfortable fit, you introduce new hazards to the working site.

Wondering how? Let&#;s explain.

• If the garment is too small, it can restrict the worker&#;s movement and prevent them from carrying out their tasks well.

• If the garment is too big, the excess material can get in the way of their work or get caught in moving machinery.

Therefore, to avoid injuries, consider the jacket&#;s fit and comfort during work.

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Furthermore, its seams and material shouldn&#;t cause irritation. And the jacket needs to be of appropriate weight with enough stretch.

Other features that enhance the fit and comfort include:

• Flexible material

• Proper ventilation

• Stretch panels under the arms

• Adjustment straps

Also, consider the number and size of tools to be carried around like backpacks, equipment belts, gloves, and boots. The Hi-Vis jacket must be large enough to prevent any obstruction from these tools since the workers need to be highly visible from far away.

Promote Your Brand Today With a Customized Hi-Vis Jacket

Adding your company logo to your Hi-Vis jacket is one of the greatest ways to promote your brand and build authenticity.

With Jupmode screen printing and embroidery services, you can add your company&#;s logo and additional texts to Hi-Vis jackets to suit your brand. 

If you don&#;t like your current logo design, our experienced in-house graphic designers can help you create a new design that tells your story. 

We&#;re here to help you bring your brilliant ideas to life. So tell us about your project today, and we&#;ll handle the rest. 

It&#;ll be easy and fun, our customer Amy has tried us and proved this to be true.

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Choose the Best Life-Saving Device for Your Team

The construction industry is known to be one of the most dangerous industries to work in with high workplace deaths reported. According to the team at Liles White, 174,100 total cases of nonfatal injuries or illnesses were reported in the construction industry, and this number is expected increase.

Year after year, construction companies emphasize safety training and jobsite protocols to reduce these numbers &#;&#;but training alone can&#;t overcome the need for high-visibility apparel.  

Tools like high-vis safety vests should anchor a successful safety plan, but do you know which is best for your application? Every day, SONCO professionals help construction and highway management companies outfit their crews for a safe workday. Before you invest in reflective safety vests with pockets for your team, check out our answers to these frequently asked apparel questions. 

FAQs About Reflective Safety Vest Styles 

Who Decides Which Safety Vest Is Best for My Application? 

While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) calls for the use of reflective garments, they do not provide specific garment guidelines. Instead, high-vis apparel is considered part of the federal worker-safety &#;general duty clause&#; requiring employers to establish a workplace &#;free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.&#;   

When it&#;s time to choose the best reflective safety vest for your construction crew, refer to the American National Standards Institute for detailed performance criteria (ANSI/ISEA 107-). This guideline provides criteria for high-visibility safety wear and its design requirements, testing, performance requirements and product labeling. 

What Class of High-Vis Safety Vests do I need? 

Safety vest choices are fairly clear-cut, but only if you&#;re familiar with the classifications. 

ANSI standards break vests and other High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) into a type-and-class system that includes three classes and three types. ANSI&#;s safety vest classes were created with varying size requirements for background fabric and reflective striping. 

WHAT IS A CLASS 1 SAFETY VEST?

These reflective vests are designed for lower-risk employees working on a jobsite where the background is not visually complex. Class-1 vests are worn by those who (1) encounter traffic traveling 25 mph or less (no highway use) and (2) have ample separation from traffic. Wearers may include warehouse workers, parking lot booth attendants, delivery drivers, mineworkers, refinery workers and shopping cart retrieval teams. 

Class-1 vests are safety orange or yellow with a minimum of 217&#; of background fabric and 155 square inches of reflective material (minimum 1-inch width). Though sleeves are not required, an individual&#;s torso must be covered. 

WHAT IS A CLASS 2 SAFETY VEST?

These high-vis safety vests are indicated for jobsites where traffic is moving 25 to 50 mph. Because these vests are more noticeable than class-1 styles, class-2 vests can also be worn at night or during inclement weather when views may be temporarily obstructed. Wearers may include airport baggage handlers and tarmac workers, public transit workers, toll operators, surveyors, railroad workers, construction workers, road workers (under 50 mph) and school crossing guards.  

Each class-2 high-vis safety vest with pockets must be safety orange or yellow and is typically sleeveless. Class-2 vests must have a minimum 775 square inches of background material for large vests and 540 square inches for small vests. This HVSA vest class must also have a minimum of 201 square inches of reflective material (minimum 1.375-inch width), with reflective material included between the shoulders and elbows. 

WHAT IS A CLASS 3 SAFETY VEST?

Designed for the most hazardous environments when visibility is imperative, class-3 vests are indicated for jobs near or on roadways (>50 mph) where workers may also encounter high task loads and a wide range of weather conditions. Wearers may include construction workers, tow truck operators, emergency responders, incident site investigators, roadside assistant teams and utility crews. 

Class-3 vests are the largest of the high-vis safety vests, resembling a short-sleeved t-shirt. These vests require a full 1,240 square inches of safety orange or yellow background fabric with at least 310 square inches (minimum 2-inch width) of reflective striping. Split trim vest designs must have a minimum 1-inch striping width. 

What Are the Main HVSA Vest Types? 

Each ANSI high-vis safety vest type is designed for different work environments and task loads. 

TYPE O VESTS:

Yellow with orange safety vest intended for non-roadway occupational use. Type O includes class 1 safety vests for use in off-road situations like sporting events, marathons, concert and speaking events, delivery routes and parking lots.  

TYPE R:

Yellow with orange safety vest intended for roadway occupational use. Type R includes class 2 and 3 vests. These vests may be worn by construction or utility workers, surveyors, crossing guards, parking lot attendants, airport tarmac workers, flaggers, nighttime construction teams and DOT workers. 

TYPE P:

Yellow with orange high-vis safety vests intended for first responders and law enforcement. Type P includes class 2 and class 3 vests. Wearers may include police personnel, ambulance and EMS crews, fire personnel and sheriffs. 

What Type of High-Vis Safety Vests Materials Are Approved? 

All HVSA vests are required by ANSI to have a minimum of two material types: background fabric and retroreflective or combined performance material.  

• Made from breathable mesh or similar fabric, the background material is typically fluorescent yellow or orange. The fabric is easy to spot during daytime.
• Retroreflective material is the vest&#;s safety striping, which is highly visible at night when hit with car headlights or other light sources. Often found in silver, white or gray colors, this material reflects oncoming light back to the original light source.
• ANSI-approved high-vis safety vests may also have combined-performance material instead of retroreflective tape. Combined-performance tape or striping has retro-reflective qualities and is fluorescent like the background fabric. This material offers both daytime and nighttime visibility. 
  What Other Vest Features Should I Know About? 

Some class I, II and III safety vests also come with extra features, which may be required by some jobsite managers. Popular options include, but are not limited to:  

Fire Resistant: High-visibility polyester vests treated with flame inhibitors are designed for welders and other team members working with or near sparks and fire. Flame-resistant vests are tested to ASTM D standards. 

Arc protection: Arc-rated high-vis safety vests are required when electrical hazards are present since they help safeguard crews from arc flashes. 

Waterproof & water-resistant features: Water-resistant fabrics protect from wet conditions, and may also include breathability/moisture wicking benefits.

Hook & loop strips: To prevent vests from getting caught in dangerous machinery, hook-and-loop breakaway strips may be stitched onto the sides and shoulde.

Pockets: Vest pockets may be transparent, allowing for ID card visibility. Other specialized pockets are designed for trade-specific gear like flagging tape. 

Printed graphics: Some work zones require graphic lettering or apparel logos that differentiate team members from outside vendors, etc. Non-contrasting graphics must not exceed 72 square inches in size, while contrasting graphics must not exceed 22 square inches.  

Contact SONCO for HVSA Advice 

SONCO safety specialists understand the safety implications involved when choosing high-visibility garments. To purchase HVSA vests that meet ANSI and other standards, connect with our team today! We&#;ll equip your crew with vests and apparel for any jobsite, including the specialized features you need most. Ask our experts about reflective wear for highway management, construction zones, hospitals and schools, airports or railways and more! 

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