Do company or government safety standards require you to wear a hi vis jacket?  There are some important things you need to know before you begin questioning why you would be required to meet these standards.

People who work in outdoor environments are more likely to be exposed to dangerous situations, where accidents and injuries can be avoided simply by wearing the appropriate apparel. If we could control the weather then some situations could be made safer, but we haven’t been able to achieve this yet!

Consider while you’re working outdoors the weather begins to change, perhaps it begins to rain, snow or the clouds roll in and turn day light into darkness. Your visibility to others drops in half, possibly to a non-existent status.

If your duties require you to provide road side assistance, drivers may not see you until it’s too late.  A simple hi vis jacket could make the difference between a safe work environment and one that is extremely hazardous.

When driving at night you may notice some roads have reflectors built into the ground, these serve as a guide to make sure you and your passengers stay safe.  A similar benefit can be found by a person wearing a hi vis jacket, increasing their chances on staying safe and avoiding injuries.

If your vehicle blows a tire and you have to change the tire, you want to maximize your exposure to other drivers to make sure you get to your destination.  You may want to consider tossing a hi vis jacket in your trunk, should such an occasion arise.

Crew members who work on oil rigs or fishing boats often face the risks of being swept into the ocean, when storm waves come crashing down onto the deck or platforms.  In an effort to make it safer for all crew members, not just the captain, wearing a hi vis jacket in these scenarios could mean the difference between life and death.  Crew members who are washed overboard often carry light beacons they can activate to help search and recovery efforts.  When you’re waiting to be rescued in extremely ice cold water, you want every angle working for you to make sure you can escape those dangerous times.  The hi vis jackets can act as another source of light the beacons can flash and light up, increasing the odds that a crew member can be located.

At big events you will often see parking staff or police directing traffic.  Coordinators working in these events help the efforts by wearing a hi vis jacket, making it safer to avoid injuries and helps direct the drivers by finding where they need to go.

As a Fire Fighter you want to make sure you’re seen, as you work with others in a heavily smoked forest or home.  With all the dangerous equipment used to fight fires, being visible to all people at the scene is extremely important.  If a tree falls on a Fire Fighter, or a structure collapses, having a hi vis jacket will help others find you or possibly guide others in escape efforts.

At the end of the day, we all would like to return to our destinations safe.  Safety standards and guidelines that require wearing a hi vis jacket will help make this world a better place!

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