High visibility clothing is an important part of workplace safety. It is worn by all kinds of people across a range of industries and has even made its way into sport and fashion!

The evolution of high visibility clothing represents an important change in workplace safety measures, enhancing safety by reducing workplace accidents and increasing visibility in high-risk or low-light environments. Employers have a responsibility to ensure that employees are given the tools and equipment to do their jobs safely and make sure they adhere to workwear standards.

A Spark in the Dark: Early Uses of Reflective Materials

The entire idea of a high visibility outfit dates to the 1920s and 1930s. When retro reflective materials and reflective surfaces became available for signage and vehicle use, it began to improve visibility.

Early Uses of High-Visibility Clothing

Initially, high-visibility clothes date from the 20th century. Workers in highly risky areas such as railway and road workers wore bright colours for their work clothes. These practices arise from need and are essential to ensuring that workers have visible access to their vehicles and equipment to prevent accidents.

The history of high visibility workwear

The origins of high visibility workwear are found in the 1930s, when Bob Switzer was injured while unloading crates at a Heinz Ketchup factory. He was injured so badly that he went into a coma and his eyesight was permanently damaged.

To help his recovery, Switzer spent time in a dark room where his brother entertained him using fluorescent chemicals. Once fully-recovered, Swizter experimented further with fluorescent chemicals and the brothers invented the first fluorescent paint; also known as high visibility paint.

After Switzer’s discovery, scientists and engineers began exploring other ways of using fluorescence. During World War II, the U.S started experimenting with using high visibility garments to reduce friendly fire and to communicate between ground and air troops. High viz buoys were also used to distinguish what parts of the sea had been searched for explosives.

A significant step in its use in workwear was made in 1964, when Scottish Rail became the first company to introduce high visibility workwear to the rail services due to a high number of safety concerns. The success and importance of this is apparent, as by 1965 every rail worker on the West Coast Main Line was issued with protective gear.

The 1970s was The Golden Era of Hi-Vis: the widespread adoption of high visibility workwear in industries such as construction sites, aviation and emergency services as a safety measure.

Fast-forward to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which puts the responsibility for health and safety in the workplace on employers and employees. Safety regulations often mandate the use of high-visibility clothing to ensure worker safety and visibility, especially in hazardous conditions or low-light environments. It continues to be updated and amended today, and has led to significantly fewer fatalities and accidents in the workplace.

Initial Materials and Designs

At its beginning, the high-visibility apparel was rudimentary but often improvised. It was never specifically intended for visible applications. Bright colours have become a preferred material for people who had less visual interest. These are usually cotton and wool that offer greater visibility but lack reflective or fluorescent qualities of modern high-vis materials. These design styles were also simple and included a vest, jacket and sometimes hat or cap. These garments were designed specifically to be visible and prevent the employee from moving around.

The high visibility evolution: High visibility clothing in 2024

With our needs growing and developments in technology moving alongside said needs, high visibility clothing has come a long way since the Switzer brothers’ dark room. Safety standards play a crucial role in defining the requirements for high-visibility clothing, ensuring workplace safety, and improving visibility in various industries.

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 provides specific guidance to employers “to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work.” As of April 2022, this now includes limb workers (contractors) too.

High visibility clothing is required if deemed necessary by a risk assessment. Employers must provide high vis clothing for free to employees. Our own phs Besafe Bright Gear is designed to meet the needs of today’s workforce.

What is high-visibility clothing made from?

Using the technology that has developed over the years, high visibility clothing is made using fluorescent and retro reflective materials designed to enhance the wearer’s visibility in various lighting conditions.

Reflective clothing, including high visibility garments, uses fluorescent material that reacts with natural or artificial light, making the fabric appear to glow. The reflective strips on high visibility clothing are to help with protection in the dark. Light sources, such as cars or torches will cause the strips to glow. For protection in any environment, including wet weather, high visibility workwear should have a mix of fluorescent colours and reflective strips.

When should high visibility clothing be worn?

In 1974 Health and safety law was formally introduced in England. Those requirements constituted the standards the employer had to comply with with respect to safety. ACT requires employees to be seen when working at risk. The Act introduced personal protective gear in 1992. Workwear must meet the requirements required to work at any workplace. Workwear must likewise conform to Health Safety Policy and safety regulations. EN ISO 20471[RP1] is an ISO standard for high-visibility garments introduced in 1994.

How often should you replace your high visibility clothing?

High visibility clothing should be regularly checked to confirm it has retained its glowing qualities after being washed. It is important to regularly clean high visibility safety workwear as dirt can hinder its effectiveness.

There is no set time that you should replace high visibility safety clothing, as there are several varying factors, such as the number of wash cycles or any damage to the fabric. Credible manufacturers should provide you with detailed wash cycle information, you should follow these instructions carefully. You should do a quick check before every use, it could save your life.

The importance of high visibility gear in safety

High visibility gear plays an important role in enhancing safety across various environments, particularly in occupations and situations where visibility is compromised – this could include people who work in dark conditions and those who work at night. By wearing clothing made from fluorescent and retroreflective materials, workers become significantly more visible to others, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. This gear is especially important for those working in construction, road maintenance, and emergency services, where high visibility can prevent collisions and other dangerous incidents. High visibility clothing is also essential for cyclists, joggers, and motorcyclists, helping them to be seen by drivers, particularly in low-light conditions.

While it’s a simple measure, using high visibility gear can be a very effective and affordable way to enhance safety and prevent injuries.

Emergency Services: Adaptations for Visibility in Critical Situations

For police and emergency personnel such as firefighters and medical personnel, visibility is critical. High-visibility clothing is designed for the job, as well as the need for quick identification and ensuring that they're visible. Typically clothing is designed to have particular colours and reflect patterns for different types of emergencies. In addition, these garments can be adapted for optimal mobility and to carry other equipment when an emergency occurs.

Standards and Certifications

In addition to enhancing visibility, the clothing is backed by several internationally recognized safety standards and certifications. Some of the most famous examples include EN ISO 20471 The standard AS/NZS4602.3:2011 in Australia specifies specific requirements for workwear for persons exposed in traffic. This standard includes critical elements ranging from material choice to design considerations and performance criteria.

Choose phs Besafe for high visibility safety clothing

phs Besafe is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high visibility clothing. Our essential safety wear is designed for optimum functionality, durability and protection. We offer a tailored workwear service that provides you with everything you need, no matter the size of your business or organisation.

We make it our job to stay up to date with innovations in high visibility workwear to make sure our customers can benefit from high-quality protection, no matter the conditions they’re working in. As you can see from the history of high visibility clothing, things have come a long way since it was invented in the 1930s, and the products we provide at phs Besafe still follow those early principles of workwear safety.

Explore our safety clothing range to see what we have to offer.

In addition to supplying workwear, phs Besafe also provides laundry and locker services, as well as garment destruction where needed. Whatever your needs, we’re here to help. Contact us today for more information.