High Visibility Safety Vests − Saving Lives

Passing cars and heavy equipment present an ongoing danger in any construction site.  According to figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 639 road-construction work-zone deaths were reported between the years 2003-2007. Since then, the use of safety vests is not only an important part of reducing injuries and deaths, but it is now legally required. Many times, the high-visibility vests are often the first, and perhaps the only, thing a machine operator or motor vehicle operator can discern in conditions such as inclement weather or darkness. 

There is an array of safety vests available to suit different work-site needs.  These high-visibility vests come in a fluorescent yellow-green, red-orange, or a combination of the two. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) places safety vests into one of three distinct categories, or classes.  Class 1 vests are designed for use at work sites where the traffic speed does not exceed 25 miles per hour.  Class 2 vests are designed for inclement weather and for areas where traffic speeds are above 25 miles per hour.  Class 3 vests are used in work areas with traffic speeds over 50 miles an hour where the weather conditions are variable.