There is a wide variety of safety vests available in the market and choosing the best out of them can seem a little overwhelming. Selecting proper gear for work is essential because you have to keep them on all day and therefore, they need to be comfortable and shouldn’t hinder your performance.
Given below are 5 frequently asked questions while picking out the perfect safety vest.
How Important is Visibility When It Comes To Vests?
Uniforms with improper visibility can be hazardous especially if you are working at construction sites or in areas where there is high incidence of road traffic or if you have a night job.
Proper vests with retro-reflective tape catering to the correct EN specifications that coincide with your work requirements are a must. You must also check out the different categories of Hi-Vis clothing based on background material, sleeve length, closure mechanism and colour of the vest.
Is It Necessary To Consider The Environmental Factors?
Absolutely!
There different vests for diurnal and nocturnal jobs and also for different weather conditions. If you are working in hot and humid areas, you need vests that help the seat to evaporate and not cling on, to make you uncomfortable. For colder areas, multi-layered vests with insulating padding will keep you warm and protected from the elements of nature.
What Is The Significance of Durability?
Durable vests will save you the expenditure of replacements and also last you in harsh weather or work environments. Your vest should be able to withstand the wear and tear at work so choosing a robust material like a high-quality nylon, rayon or polyester will be beneficial to you.
Mesh materials are better for hotter areas while a polyester-fibreglass blends will last longer in colder climates.
What Should Be The Layout Of The Vest?
The design of your workwear holds a lot of importance when it comes to workability and safety while you are on the job. The make of your vest should cater to your comfort, depending upon the climate of the place that you are working in.
Complete coverage is necessary if you are involved in cutting, welding and shearing things. Asbestos PPEs with respirators are a must when one is handling ACMs (asbestos containing materials). Optimum padding has often provided cut protection and also cushioned the fall of many workers at construction sites, minimizing the injuries from the impact.
While working in industrial areas where you frequently encounter pinch points, vests that can be torn away should be chosen. If your job involves being in close proximity to fire or extreme heat, consider a multi-pocketed uniform made of anti-static, non-flammable fabrics having a kevlar-nomex blend.
What Other Accessories Must Be Bought Along With Vests?
One of the most important safety gear investments is a good quality dust mask. Many a time, people disregard the importance of this accessory and end up inhaling toxins, liquid aerosols, contaminated mist, dust, smoke and other infectious particles. With newer innovation in the make, quality and fabric choices, wearing a mask is no longer cumbersome.
The areas where masks are required the most are construction sites where asbestos, glass, mineral fibres and plaster is handled. People involved in demolition cutting, handling biohazardous wastes, high alloy stainless steel drilling, soldering and welding also need a standard FFP3 dust mask for their protection.
Stay Protected
According to HSE, there were a total of 30 fatal accidents in 2018-19, making the fatal injury rate thrice the all injury rates. Tending to one’s own safety along with the others’ is very vital to prevent any unprecedented incidents and trauma.
It is important to note that safety vests are not the only piece of protective gear that one needs to wear at work. Therefore, proper care must be taken so that they do not hamper or obstruct the utility of other accessories that are to be worn.
Workers must be equipped with 3M respirators to stay protected from gas, vapours and particle pollution. Following safety guidelines and wearing appropriate work wear will provide guaranteed security to you and minimize occupational hazards.
