Are you a woman working in the trades? If you answered yes, then this article is for you.
When working in traffic-ridden areas or construction sites, you need something that makes you visible. Standing out from the background is essential. Hence, women’s high vis work wear is essential.
But it is not just about being visible. Tough jobs require a lot of manual labour. Hence, you also need your workwear to be comfortable. So, what hi-vis workwear should you wear?
Read on to find out.
Why do you need tough clothing?
Australia has seen a massive increase in the percentage of women who make up the workforce. The latest statistics point to 61.5% of women being part of the working population.
With this increase in the female working population, the country has seen a lot more women taking up challenging jobs like:
- Jobs that need them to operate heavy machinery
- Construction site work
- Traffic policing and management jobs
If you are among these formidable women, you know that all of these are rough jobs that lead to exposure to a lot of outdoor elements.
So, the work wear must be durable, tolerate heat, provide ventilation, and allow free movement. Moreover, it needs to have bright colours and shiny tapes to make you pop.
The Three Components of Hi-Vis Garments
Hi-Vis clothing is designed to help you perform in your workspace. It has three core components that are a must:
- Fluorescent material
The bright fluorescent material is required to increase visibility. It is especially useful for women on night duty or those working in highly crowded workspaces.
It is incorporated in the work wear for the following reasons:
- In case of work in congested areas, you need to be visible so you can manage traffic
- Should there be any accidents at construction sites, you have to be easy to spot
- If you are on night duty, the fluorescent material makes you easy to spot and helps you function more efficiently
- Reflective strips
Reflective strips are designed for better working efficiency during night hours. These high visibility bands will wrap around your work wear and increase visibility.
These strips are used in every kind of Hi-Vis work wear, including:
- Jackets
- Trousers
- Fleeces
These strips are placed strategically at specific angles to contrast the fabric and shine. You would ideally want Hi-Vis clothes with strips around the arms, knees, waist, and ankles.
- Contrast material
Women working on construction sites have to come in constant contact with dirt and rubble. Hence, the Hi-Vis clothing designed for these workers has darker shades in some parts that are more resistant to these factors.
Additionally, these Hi-Vis garments are also:
- Waterproof to protect against water and rainy conditions
- Made using contrasting colours to resist debris and dust
- Designed to contain multiple pockets so you can carry various tools and essentials on the job
- Created in a way that they have full sleeves and zippers for proper coverage and protection
Wrapping up
If you are working in high labour, women’s high vis clothing made with high-quality material is a necessity. Most Hi-Vis garments have a lifetime of 25 washes.
Hi-Vis clothing is worn to ensure that you are visible from 300 meters away.
