Advancements in industry and technology mean that many things that we take for granted today were not possible. An example of this is the ability to work during the night. In the past, when portable lights and street lamps still did not exist, it was impossible to work after the sun went down. Even today, as lighting technology has made nighttime work commonplace there are still risks that come with the reduced visibility that nighttime conditions present.
This is why high-visibility workwear is so essential in many different workplaces today. High-visibility clothing, which usually comes in the form of tabards or vests, is worn to make the wearer more visible during the night when visibility is reduced. Its uses are not only limited to nighttime, however, as it can also come in handy during stormy or foggy weather conditions.
Here is everything that you need to know about high-visibility clothing:
How does high-visibility clothing work?
High-visibility clothing is typically composed of reflective materials, such as micro-prismatic tape and glass-bead tape. These give the clothing the ability to reflect light, which is what allows the wearer to be seen during times of poor lighting conditions.
Furthermore, high-visibility clothing is usually made in bright, fluorescent colors such as pink, yellow, and orange. This allows the ultraviolet light coming from the sun or any other light source to react with the fluorescent colors in the clothing and create a glowing appearance. Thus, by maximizing any small amount of light that comes its way, high-visibility clothing allows the wearer to be visible when conditions are dark and it is hard to see.
Where is high-visibility clothing used?
Many occupations and working conditions mandate the use of high-visibility clothing. The first is construction, especially for workers who are on-site in the middle of the night. This not only allows workers to see each other but also enables them to be aware of their surroundings and avoid accidents.
High-visibility clothing is also widely used in transportation and traffic management jobs. For example, traffic enforcers and highway patrol officers will commonly be seen wearing high visibility clothing. This is so that they will be easily seen by motorists, keeping all parties safe on the road. They are also used among ground crew members at airports so that these individuals will be visible to pilots in the cockpit.
The uses of high-visibility clothing are not limited to workers. One group of people who use fluorescent-colored clothing often is cyclists. Given that they usually share the road with other cyclists, not to mention other vehicles, cyclists should be seen on the road so that they do not get into an accident.
High-visibility clothing has played a significant role in improving the safety of many people, especially during poor visibility conditions. Thus, we need not be limited any longer by the weather or time of the day; we are better able to go about our lives and daily tasks no matter what. This, in turn, has led to rapid advancements.
