Hi-visibility clothing has been worn since as early as the 1930s when a man named Bob Switzer injured himself while lifting crates. His injury was so severe that he fell into a coma, which resulted in permanent damage to his eyesight. To support his recovery, he spent a lot of time in the dark, and his brother would entertain him by playing with fluorescent chemicals. This inspired Switzer and his brother to further experiment with the fluorescent chemicals, and between them, they developed the original fluorescent paint, which has, over the years become more commonly known as high visibility paint.
In 1964, Scottish Rail was the first to introduce high-visibility workwear to the rail services to help workers that were concerned for their safety. This was a huge success, and a year later every single worker on the West Coast Mainline was given hi-vis clothing!
Hi-vis works by being reflective and bright, making you more visible to those around you. This is very important in places such as building sites, where there’s lots of heavy-duty machinery that could severely injure you if they were to hit you.
Nowadays, hi-vis attire is the standard in many different industries, and here are just a few of the reasons why.
Safety
The most obvious purpose of hi-vis clothing is the level of safety it gives the wearer. It has been proven to prevent accidents happening in environments deemed dangerous, more specifically in areas where there are big vehicles frequently in motion.
Legal Requirements
In some industries, it is a legal requirement to wear hi-vis clothing. This stems from European law which states that safety workwear must be ‘conspicuous in form and reflective in nature’ (this still applies to us, although we are no longer a part of the EU). If the hi-vis garment has a CE mark, it means it meets the essential requirements for wear at work.
Professionalism and Identity
Another reason for wearing hi-vis at work is that it is a statement that declares your respect for rules and cares for the safety of yourself and others. When working with larger companies especially, it is beneficial to give workers attire that declares their status, so teams can work easier from distances as they can recognise other team members site-wise.
At BS Fixings, we understand the importance of being seen and protected at work, so we host a range of different hi-vis garments for all of your work needs. Let us show you a couple of examples of the hi-vis clothing we stock!
Needing warmth with your protection? Have a look at our Yellow Hi-Vis Bomber Jackets. This jacket comes equipped with two hip pockets, a concealed drawstring hood, knitted storm cuffs, and a 2-way front zip with a studded storm flap. This jacket is perfect to brave potentially challenging weather conditions such as wind, snow, and rain.
Due to the months getting colder, try our Hi-Vis Yellow Bodywarmers. This jacket is reversible with a zip front for fastening, a knitted collar, and two pockets. The outer shell of this bodywarmer is coated in EN471 polyester to ensure the highest visibility possible. This is a great jacket for staying warm whilst focussing on work.
We hope you leave this blog feeling more informed on the purpose of hi-vis wear. Click here if you would like to explore the rest of our hi-vis products range, and if you would like any more information you can call us on 03330 117818 or via email at info@bsfixings.co.uk.
