health & safety news l


Love it or hate it, high-visibility workplace clothing is here to stay. British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) looks at this life-saving material.


Fact: Hi-vis aids safety H


igh-visibility clothing first made its way into the UK in 1964, where Scottish railway workers were first to benefit


from the clothing’s highly reflective properties. Since then high-visibility clothing has become a staple piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) that is used by workers where visibility is considered an issue. In the UK, high-visibility is now a legal requirement for anyone working in conditions of low visibility and employers must ensure that the garments comply with appropriate EN standards and the PPE Regulations 2002 (embodying European Directive 89/686/EEC). Wet weather coats, over trousers, waist jackets and boiler suits, are just a few of the items of clothing that now incorporate high-visibility elements.


A recent BBC news article discussed the pros and cons of high-visibility. The journalist commented: “To critics, it (high-visibility) symbolises everything that is wrong about mollycoddled, risk-averse, health-and- safety-obsessed modern Britain. But enthusiasts point to its success in reducing traffic accidents and making the jobs of thousands of workers much safer.” He later goes on to say: “What is perhaps most significant, however, is the manner in which this mass- produced garment, available from pound shops the length and breadth of the country, has come to lend its wearer’s the mantle of officialdom, licensed to give orders by virtue of their outerwear.”


The latter point is something the BSIF is keen to elaborate on. David Lummis (pictured), Chief Executive Officer at the BSIF, comments: “As the


20 ShD October 2011 www.PressOnShD.com


BBC journalist highlights, high-visibility clothing does have its critics but its purpose and life saving attributes must override this negativity directed towards the garments and in some cases its wearers.


“High visibility clothing is worn for a reason; to make the wearers of the clothing visible at greater distances in low visibility. Its purpose is to save lives, nothing more and nothing less. Whilst its opponents may flout this type of PPE as overzealous and ‘elf n’ safety’ gone mad, its life saving attributes must prevail. It is


unfortunately all too easy for others to criticise high-visibility, as for many, until they or a close friend or relative is involved in an incident, or they are faced with telling relatives the fate of their loved one once an accident has occurred, the


equipment is seen as irrelevant.”


He continues: “High- visibility clothing is now worn by individuals in both professional and social occasions, the attitude of the individual


wearing the garment can only be attributed to them and should not be attributed to the garment itself. ‘Officialdom’, as the journalist called it, may be seen by a small majority of individuals who wear the clothing. However, I would be quick to point out that for example, inadequate security at events is not caused by the wearer of high-visibility jackets but by poor organisation.”


David concludes: “As high-visibility clothing continues to make its emergence in everyday life, its life saving attributes need to be shouted about! Love it or hate it: high-visibility garments save lives. Be safe, be seen.” ● www.bsif.co.uk


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