Ensure Workplace Safety with Reflective Vests

When we discuss security solutions throughout the workplace, reflective vests may not always be a factor that is taken seriously. After all, there are many different types of PPE, and reflective vests are not among the most commonly used of those.

However, what all employers should remember is that reflective vests are critical to keeping the workplace and employees safe. Especially in high-risk, high-traffic work environments.

Here are some reasons why reflective vests are so important, and why employers should invest in them.

Why Do Employers Need Reflective Vests?

1. Keeps the Workers Visible

The great thing about reflective vests is that they keep your employees visible.

As their name suggests, the greatest function of reflective vests is to make the wearer clearly visible even in dark environments by reflecting light. This is critical to workplace safety.

For example, in a road construction project, there may be construction work that takes place at night. Working in low light conditions is risky because people do not see their surroundings well in the dark.

However, wearing a reflective vest can effectively reduce this risk. When vehicles pass by at night, headlights will illuminate the reflective vests and make the workers visible enough to attract the attention of drivers or others at first. This prevents them from being struck and injured. That's why reflective vests are required in many safety standards.

Other traffic safety tools and equipment include: traffic cones, warning signs/tape, etc.

2. Distinguish Workers from Crowd

Of course, the benefits of a reflective vest are not limited to "reflective". Reflective vests are often chosen in bright colors, such as yellow or orange, to attract the attention of others. This way, workers can be quickly seen from a distance and distinguished from the crowd.

In industries such as construction, this is very necessary. Many construction sites are not completely closed, and therefore there is a possibility that ordinary people may accidentally pass by or enter. Without a reflective vest, picking out workers in ordinary clothing at a glance would be difficult. The inability to quickly identify employees is also detrimental to workplace management and safety. It is times like these that reflective vests come in handy.

3. Reduces Liability

All of this adds up to one thing: reduced liability for your company.

Let’s say, for example, that a driver can’t see your employees. This results in one of your employees getting hit.

If you work in a high-risk environment, like a construction site or a shipyard, vehicles are constantly moving around. So, too, are your employees. You simply cannot afford to take the risk of your employees getting into accidents, financially or ethically.

After all, if your goal is to get all of your employees home safe to their families, then they need all the protection they can get. A reflective vest is one small investment to ensure that your workers can show up for work and go home every day without harm.

Safety Beyond Reflective Vests

A reflective vest goes a long way in keeping your employees out of harm’s way, but it’s not the only tool in your arsenal.

In fact, if you want to do a good job of protecting your employees, you should look for a comprehensive suite of safety tools, like EHS software, that addresses every aspect of the problem.