Keeping employees safe and seen in the winter months

Did you know that high visibility clothing, or hi-vis as it is more commonly known, typically lasts around six months, and it is an employer’s responsibility to keep the clothing clean and in good working order?

As the weather starts to get colder, and the days become darker, businesses need to ensure they keep employees seen and safe while working. From what colour hi-vis to choose, to what your responsibilities are and the UK regulations around hi-vis in the workplace, we break down everything you need to know.

Hi-vis clothing is proven to help prevent accidents and fatalities. Made from fluorescent and reflective materials hi-vis comes in lots of designs with everything from jackets and vests to hats, gloves and trousers. Designed to be used in potentially dangerous environments the bright colours and reflective materials make sure workers are visible and safe.

Used throughout the year, winter workwear in particular has a dual-purpose keeping workers warm in the freezing temperatures and also making sure they are seen during adverse weather such as whiteout conditions, when it snows, or low light where visibility can be incredibly poor.

What are the UK regulations around hi-vis in the workplace?

According to the Health and Safety Executive employers must make sure that employees have high visibility clothing to provide adequate protection from workplace risks.

As part of the regulations, employers must:

1. provide any HV clothing needed for the job free of charge to any employees who may be exposed to significant risks to their safety;

2. maintain HV clothing in a clean state and in good working order. It should be checked before being given to employees;

3. provide storage facilities for clothing when not in use;

4. provide adequate information, instruction and training to enable employees to use HV clothing correctly. This should include an explanation of the risks, why the clothing is needed, how and when it should be worn; and

5. supervise employees to ensure that they wear the clothing correctly and whenever it is needed.

   
   

Depending on the level of risk different degrees of clothing are required from a light weight hi-vis vest to a long sleeve jacket or full fluorescent suit and hat.

How do I know what level of hi-vis I need?

The three main things to consider when choosing the right hi-vis are:

1.      The risk

What is the lighting like, what are the weather conditions and is it day or night? As a rule, the darker the conditions you are working in the more hi-visibility clothing you will need to wear.

2.      The job

Think about what the job involves. Will employees be working with machinery, near to moving vehicles? What are the working conditions like? You might find a loose-fitting hi-vis vest could snag on moving machinery parts, but in summer a hi-vis jacket would be too warm. You need to consider what movement the employee will need and how the hi-vis items will be used.

3.      The wearer

It is important that high visibility clothing is comfortable and fits the employee properly. Make sure that it doesn’t restrict movement and is specifically designed to fit the person using it. All workwear comes in a range of sizes and to suit different body types and genders so make sure that you have a variety of stock available for all employees.

Does colour matter when it comes to hi-vis?

Hi-vis clothing comes in a variety of colours including black and navy which use more reflective materials. However, the most common colours are yellow and orange as they provide the highest visibility.

Yellow v orange hi-vis

The conditions and the job will affect which of these two colours are more appropriate.

If you are carrying out work outdoors where the environment tends to be greener in colour, fluorescent orange is likely to be more visible as it won’t blend into the background. This is why workers on the railway tend to wear orange hi-vis.

Yellow hi-vis workwear tends to be more commonly used indoors where it can be better seen in low-level light.

Two tone hi-vis clothing

There is also the option to have workwear that is formed from two colours. This is particularly useful where you need to tell different job roles apart.

It could be a fluorescent-coloured jacket with another colour band around the middle or on the sleeve which can be used to highlight different teams, so they are easily recognisable.

Just be mindful that less fluorescent fabric on show might also make the workwear less visible and so affect the class of workwear. Always choose the correct level of hi-vis for the conditions it will be used in.

When it comes to keeping employees safe hi-vis is a vital part of your armour. Don’t forget to regularly check your stock and make sure that you have adequate supplies in a variety of sizes and styles to suit each employee.

Poor fitting clothing and damaged items can be just as dangerous as not wearing any hi-vis at all.

If you need help choosing the right style of workwear or which hi-vis colour is best for your environment our expert team are happy to help.

Get in touch to find out more about our latest offers, personalisation options and varied styles. We also don’t have a minimum order requirement so order as many or as little items as you want.