How Important is Hi-Vis Clothing on a Worksite?

When it comes to the worksite, safety must always come first.

Unlike in an office environment, workplaces (such as construction sites or roadsides) present more hazards and potentially dangerous conditions for workers, especially when dealing with moving traffic, heavy machinery, or equipment.

Poor visibility, darkness and busy environments reduce worker visibility, which is why sometimes, accidents happen. Necessary precautions need to be taken to ensure that worksites are as safe as possible. You wouldn’t drive around at night without your headlights on, or ride your bike without a helmet, would you? Stepping foot on a worksite without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) or lighting is pretty much the same thing!

Hi-Vis clothing is one of the most simple, effective and inexpensive measures to put in place to improve the safety of staff on the worksite. It’s the norm for anyone ‘on the job’ or in low visibility worksites to be wearing Hi-Vis clothing for this reason.

Why is Hi-Vis clothing important?

As briefly touched on above, Hi-Vis clothing is important for any worksite where visibility is limited, there are moving vehicles or heavy machinery is present. The presence of Hi-Vis clothing onsite provides many safety benefits which include but aren’t limited to the following.

• Improves safety on the worksite by providing increased visibility. Hi-Vis clothing helps to minimise the risk of accidents and injuries on the worksite, helping to ensure we all get home safe.

• Hi-Vis clothing is effective because the bright coloured fabric increases the visibility of the wearer against the work environment. This allows easier recognition of workers at a distance which can help to avoid potentially dangerous situations.

• During the night and low light conditions, the reflective tape strips on Hi-Vis clothing light up when they come in contact with an external light source, such as headlights on a car. The light given off by the reflective tape at night helps you to be clearly seen at a distance - even in pitch-black conditions.

• Hi-Vis clothing can be used to distinguish and identify staff on the worksite - particularly where access is restricted for safety or security reasons. This helps improve the level of safety, efficiency and security. Not only this, Hi-Vis clothing increases a company’s presence and promotes a visible corporate identity to the public.

Who needs to wear Hi-Vis?

Although they are the most common example, tradies aren’t the only ones who need to wear Hi-Vis in their professions. There is a range of other industries whose jobs require them to wear Hi-Vis clothing to help identify staff and promote safety. These jobs include:

• Tradies
• Roadworks crews or traffic directors
• Event workers
• First responders
• Security guards
• Heavy-duty equipment handlers
• Railway workers

Wearing Hi-Vis clothing becomes compulsory when you are working in a role where there are low-light conditions, busy workplaces, or poor weather conditions such as heavy rain or snow. It also is compulsory in any place with moving traffic, which is why at many events or festivals you usually see car parking attendants wearing Hi-Vis vests.

Caring for your Hi-Vis

Just like with any uniform, it’s important to ensure you are caring for your workwear and replacing it when it begins to wear out. Even the best workwear will begin to wear out when exposed to harsh natural conditions, along with general wear and tear. It’s important to check the label of your workwear to see the recommended washing instructions, as well as other signs that you may need to replace your Hi-Vis. These include:

• Fading of Hi-Vis colours which can be due to UV/sun exposure, hot washing or harsh cleaning chemicals such as bleach.
• Cracks, tears and other signs of damage in the garment.
• UV rays or chemicals have damaged the clothing.
• The garment becomes uncomfortable, changes shape, or doesn’t fit you properly anymore.
• Reflective tape becoming dull or appearing cracked or scratched. This can result in the tape no longer reflecting light and providing increased visibility as intended.

When your garment no longer does its job, it is no longer keeping you, or the people around you safe and is time for a replacement.

It is also important that you are making the most out of your workwear by caring for it in the right way. Each Syzmik garment has specific care instructions to ensure you are getting the most out of your garment, and it holds its shape and colour for as long as possible. Another thing to keep in mind is if you do choose to embroider your business logo onto a Hi-Vis garment, excessively large logos may jeopardise the classification of the garment. Wet weather jackets might also have their waterproofing properties impaired by embroidery. If in doubt, it is best to seek advice from an embroidery professional.

How does Syzmik stack up?

Syzmik offers a wide range of quality Hi-Vis workwear to suit your workplace needs. Our range is highly practical with additional features for extra comfort. Our Hi-Vis range features the following:

• All Syzmik garments are independently lab tested to meet all Australian/New Zealand Hi-Vis standards including AS/NZS 1906:4:2010 and AS/NZS 4602.1:2011 and 2016
• Each batch of Syzmik garments is tested for the highest rating of colour fastness to ensure the Hi-Vis colours stay brighter for longer.
• Reflective tape used on Syzmik garments exceeds industry standards and will shine brightly after 50 washes.
• Syzmik Hi-Vis clothing is available in a number of styles and fabrics from wet weather, breathable cotton, moisture-wicking micro mesh and fire-resistant workwear to ensure you never have to compromise on safety.

All of the garments in our Syzmik range feature:

• High breathability and quick-dry fabrics
• Underarm and upper back mesh vent inserts to keep you cool in any environment
• Mid-weight cotton to keep you cool
• Multiple pockets with button closures – e.g., mobile phone, pen

Our range encourages safe working practices and is compliant with the AUS and NZ Hi-Visibility Standards. Find out more about our Hi-Vis workwear here, or get in touch with us to discuss your needs.