Various Styles Of Safety Vests

By Marla Mills


There are many situations in which individuals may be in danger because of not being very visible. There are also circumstances under which people in certain positions need to be quickly distinguished from the crowd. For these times, and others like them, safety vests may offer an additional level of protection by bringing attention to those who wear them.

Garments of this type are done in fluorescent colors in order to draw attention to an individual who may otherwise be difficult to notice. While orange is the most common hue, some of the others are used to denote certain job positions and make them easier to recognize. Though there are many styles, they will usually fall under one of four basic categories.

The Class 2 is perhaps the most widely used and is available in fluorescent lime, yellow and orange. Worn over the shirt or uniform, they are usually marked with the name of which department or company using them for easier recognition. Their primary purpose is for situations that low visibility and high traffic traveling under 50mph, often in inclement weather.

This is the standard issue style of most situations involving members of law enforcement, utility workers, construction and emergency response personnel. There are different variations of the Class 2 such as the adjustable, mesh, illuminated and the flame retardant versions. This makes them more customizable to the particular circumstance under which they will be worn.

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.

Public safety designs are often worn by multiple departments during situations involving emergency response and control. To gain order and make it easier to find specific people, each job is normally designated with a specific color garment. Those belonging to the Department of Transportation wear orange, firemen don the associated red, paramedics and medical personnel are given green and those in law enforcement are assigned blue.

The simplest, and easiest to obtain are the economy class, which is the type often seen at special events. In the various fluorescent colors, they are worn by those directing traffic or providing security, and are normally unprinted or marked with generic terms so that they may be used for multiple occasions. Many motorcyclist choose to wear these when driving at night or in bad weather in order to make themselves more visible to approaching and passing motorists.

To suit a variety of possible circumstances, safety vests are issued in very bright or fluorescent hues that really grab attention. Many styles are made from solid materials to provide more reflective surface and several others are constructed of mesh which allows lighter weight and better air flow. Some are made for more functionality, sporting loops and pockets for tools and pens, and some have designs that are made to quickly rip apart to avoid the wearer becoming trapped if snagged on anything.




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