Anyone here ever worked in a job that required high visibility clothing?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I have a marketing class that's trying to figure out how to provide high visibility clothing to people who need hi-vis clothing. I'm trying to figure out what you guys want in your clothing in terms of safety, comfort, convenience, utility, fashion, etc.

1. Stories of accidents would be appreciated to help me get a feel for what the clothing needs to do in terms of safety.

2. Any input on fabrics? Being an outdoors person, I know that cotton kills. When it gets wet it stays wet and loses all its insulation. I prefer polyester, which dries quickly and still keeps you warm when wet. However, I hear some people don't like polyester because it can get too hot?

3. What weather conditions did you guys work in? Are there situations where normally hi-vis clothing isn't hi-vis enough? I thought it might be cool if hi-vis clothing could produce it's OWN light rather than rely on reflected light.

4. Any general complaints or recommendations would be appreciated

 

[jaqie]

In the USA, any job that is on the highway system and requires items like that the employer is legally required to provide.

As for non highway system things, I believe it's still a similar situation.

 

[rival]

um, when i worked in the field, if we ever needed something like that, depending on the job and what was required, we would wear a 'safety vest' which was yellow and orange with reflective tape on it

i don't really understand what you are asking, theres already clothing out there that does the job just fine for what is required. If i wore a strobe light on my forehead sure you might see me better but that doesn't mean someone wont make a mistake and run me over with a truck. A lot of people wear orange t-shirts also.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: rival
um, when i worked in the field, if we ever needed something like that, depending on the job and what was required, we would wear a 'safety vest' which was yellow and orange with reflective tape on it

i don't really understand what you are asking, theres already clothing out there that does the job just fine for what is required. If i wore a strobe light on my forehead sure you might see me better but that doesn't mean someone wont make a mistake and run me over with a truck. A lot of people wear orange t-shirts also.

Yes, there is hi-vis clothing out there already, but there's a new ANSI standard coming out that all workers near the highway need to adopt later in 2008. This creates a market for a new, improved product. Basically new hi-vis clothing that meets these standards.

 

[olds]

Does the clothing have to meet ansi standards?
Class 3 is the new standard. We have to comply by Nov. 1st 2008.

 

[rival]

sooo, what are the new standards?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: rival
sooo, what are the new standards?

http://www.cssport.com/ansi.htm

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
http://www.cssport.com/ansi.htm

What's with the guy in the header that is playing a shovel like a guitar? Why the hell isn't he fixing the potholes that swallow cars? This is not guitar hero time.

 

[olds]

We are not to excited about the new standard because we pave with 300 degree mix in 100 degree heat. We will be required to wear a Class 3 vest over another shirt. Too hot.
I asked if our employer would substitute white t shirts for the orange or lime green shirts that they give us now. The dye in them makes them breathe poorly. Also, the new vests will be made partly of polyester which doesn't breathe worth shit. They laughed. Fuckers. They don't have to wear it every day so they don't care.

What I'd like are pocket t shirts that are not polyester and that meet the standard. I'd also like them to be "tall" so they stay tucked in.
If it's a vest, it should be made of some light weight mesh so that it breathes.

 

[Baked]

Vegas Showgirls. Strippers. Characters on PBS children's programs.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
http://www.cssport.com/ansi.htm

What's with the guy in the header that is playing a shovel like a guitar? Why the hell isn't he fixing the potholes that swallow cars? This is not guitar hero time.

He probably just blowing off some steam. A bunch of highway workers will be laid off this year.
It's not the economy, it technology. It seems the Japanese have invented a shovel that will stand by itself.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
It seems the Japanese have invented a shovel that will stand by itself.

Bastards!

 

[legoman666]

I worked in semi-construction job in a soil/concrete lab, but was required to go out in the field from time to time to take samples, etc. I usually wore a bright yellow reflective safety vest, a hard hat, and steel toed boots. Most construction sites REQUIRE these three items, some have more strict requirements; like safety glasses..

I simply wore a vest, but if I was working in the field full time, I'd want something semi permanent. I see bright yellow t-shirts all the time.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
We are not to excited about the new standard because we pave with 300 degree mix in 100 degree heat. We will be required to wear a Class 3 vest over another shirt. Too hot.
I asked if our employer would substitute white t shirts for the orange or lime green shirts that they give us now. The dye in them makes them breathe poorly. Also, the new vests will be made partly of polyester which doesn't breathe worth shit. They laughed. Fuckers. They don't have to wear it every day so they don't care.

What I'd like are pocket t shirts that are not polyester and that meet the standard. I'd also like them to be "tall" so they stay tucked in.
If it's a vest, it should be made of some light weight mesh so that it breathes.

Yay, this is exactly the type of stuff that I need.

But as I understand it, the new ANSI standard requires highway workers to wear at least Class 2, not Class 3, although it is up to the individual companies to decide whether they need Class 3 or just Class 2.

Any other pointers? Do you guys ever have to work in the rain where you get drenched? Or at night where you're scared that people might not see you?

Any complaints about the specific fit? More of an athletic cut? Maybe something form-fitting like Under Armor that wicks away moisture and keeps you cool, which can then be made with synthetic fibers and still stay cool?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
We are not to excited about the new standard because we pave with 300 degree mix in 100 degree heat. We will be required to wear a Class 3 vest over another shirt. Too hot.
I asked if our employer would substitute white t shirts for the orange or lime green shirts that they give us now. The dye in them makes them breathe poorly. Also, the new vests will be made partly of polyester which doesn't breathe worth shit. They laughed. Fuckers. They don't have to wear it every day so they don't care.

What I'd like are pocket t shirts that are not polyester and that meet the standard. I'd also like them to be "tall" so they stay tucked in.
If it's a vest, it should be made of some light weight mesh so that it breathes.

Yay, this is exactly the type of stuff that I need.

But as I understand it, the new ANSI standard requires highway workers to wear at least Class 2, not Class 3, although it is up to the individual companies to decide whether they need Class 3 or just Class 2.

I work for the State of California. They are requiring us to go to Class 3 on Nov 1st. I assumed that was the Fed date.

Any other pointers? Do you guys ever have to work in the rain where you get drenched? Or at night where you're scared that people might not see you?

We work 24/7 in the winter. Either 5/8 or 7/12 if it is storming. We get drenched all the time and I exclusively worked graveyard this last winter.

Any complaints about the specific fit? More of an athletic cut? Maybe something form-fitting like Under Armor that wicks away moisture and keeps you cool, which can then be made with synthetic fibers and still stay cool?

I don't know anyone that would wear under armor for outer wear. Whatever it is, it needs to breathe. We get gore tex for rain gear. The old stuff was polypropylene and you would get soaked from sweat long before the rain got you.

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
We are not to excited about the new standard because we pave with 300 degree mix in 100 degree heat. We will be required to wear a Class 3 vest over another shirt. Too hot.
I asked if our employer would substitute white t shirts for the orange or lime green shirts that they give us now. The dye in them makes them breathe poorly. Also, the new vests will be made partly of polyester which doesn't breathe worth shit. They laughed. Fuckers. They don't have to wear it every day so they don't care.

What I'd like are pocket t shirts that are not polyester and that meet the standard. I'd also like them to be "tall" so they stay tucked in.
If it's a vest, it should be made of some light weight mesh so that it breathes.

Have you tried these without the reflective strips? I used them when I was hauling trailers from the Couer d'Lane transfer station to their garbage dump. I hated wearing a vest and they said these shirts would suffice.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: compman25

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
We are not to excited about the new standard because we pave with 300 degree mix in 100 degree heat. We will be required to wear a Class 3 vest over another shirt. Too hot.
I asked if our employer would substitute white t shirts for the orange or lime green shirts that they give us now. The dye in them makes them breathe poorly. Also, the new vests will be made partly of polyester which doesn't breathe worth shit. They laughed. Fuckers. They don't have to wear it every day so they don't care.

What I'd like are pocket t shirts that are not polyester and that meet the standard. I'd also like them to be "tall" so they stay tucked in.
If it's a vest, it should be made of some light weight mesh so that it breathes.

Have you tried these without the reflective strips? I used them when I was hauling trailers from the Couer d'Lane transfer station to their garbage dump. I hated wearing a vest and they said these shirts would suffice.

I could till Nov 1st. After that, no.

 

[WildHorse]

For a few years I had to wear red trunks, with a khaki jacket & slacks, when I was a lifeguard on California beaches in college.

fabrics: quick dry

weather conditions: Nearly always perfect. Sometimes foggy or windy.

general recommendations: employer pays

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: rival
sooo, what are the new standards?

http://www.cssport.com/ansi.htm

Holy crap. I feel sorry for anybody doing asphalt in the summer.

 

[Darwin333]

In order

1. Price
We are talking about regular construction workers atire here. Usually, your employer may give you a few a year but in most construction fields (if not all) shirts might not last a month. The vast majority of them won't pay 3 times more for a shirt regardless of how comfortable it is. At least half my guys skimp on boots and gloves so they darn sure aren't going to splurge on their shirts.

2. Comfort
More specifically, keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. In the summer my guys work in insane temps. Between the black surface they are working around and the hot asphalt they will not be happy about wearing anything that makes them hotter then their normal work clothes.

3. Function
Shrug. Function adds cost and I think price is much more important. As was stated earlier, I would recommend making them long. Front pockets are decent but not a deal breaker.