Monday 30 September 2013

Various Styles Of Safety Vests

By Marla Mills


Some jobs have a higher element of danger stemming from factors such as low visibility, especially during inclement weather. There are times when an individual needs to be noticed so that others around them can recognize them for the position they are holding. For these types of situations, along with many others, there are various style and types of safety vests that can give someone the extra protection of being more easily seen by others around them.

These garments are made of fluorescent material that draws the attention of others to an individual that may have otherwise been unnoticed. Sometimes multiple colors are used at events in order to denote particular job positions. There are quite a few style variations but they all fall under four main categories for quick description.

The category of Class 2 is the most commonly used type and comes in fluorescent yellow, orange and lime. They are worn over regular shirts or above uniforms and usually bears the name of company or department, making it easy for others to determine who is wearing them. This type is normally used for situations where the weather makes visibility low or where the traffic is high but under 50mph.

They are the standard issue under many circumstances that involve the police, utility workers, emergency response teams and construction units. There are varied styles of the Class 2 including mesh, adjustable, flame retardant and illuminated. Having variation allows them more flexibility to fit the different situations for which they are used.

For even more attention and reflective capabilities, the Class 3 offers certain advantages. This style is worn like a front closure shirt with sleeves of long, half or short lengths. The types of circumstances under which these may be deployed often include high traffic flow at an excess of 50mph and practically no visibility due to extreme weather conditions.

The public safety style is most often used for multiple departments during emergency response situations. Each group will be assigned a particular color which will make them easier to distinguish in hectic or crowded circumstances. Law enforcement is generally given blue, while firemen are designated red, paramedics and EMT teams don green and Department of Transportation crews sport orange.

The economy class is the easiest to obtain and the simplest style and are used most often at special events. Left either unprinted or marked with general terms such as "staff" or "security" so that they may be reused at different functions, they are given to those directing traffic, providing assistance or maintaining crowd control. This is also the popular choice of motorcyclists who drive in bad weather or at night and need to make sure other motorists notice them.

Almost all styles of safety vests are available in different bright colors and designs that can help give definition during some situations. They may be of a solid material to provide more reflective surface, or of a mesh so that there is better ventilation and lightweight comfort. Some of them have pockets which allow the stowing of tools, pencils or other necessary job accessories and others are made to easily break away at multiple points should they become hung up on a snag.




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