When Does High Vis Clothing Become Compulsory?

High-Visibility clothing is essential for a large majority of labour sites, providing visibility in low light environments. From summer shirts to winter work jackets, all work clothing needs to ensure that they meet the OH&S requirements of the site, which usually means hi-vis elements or materials are used.

When Should You Wear High-vis Clothing?

The primary goal of Hi-Vis clothing is to maintain safety and protect employees in the workplace. So, depending on your line of work and location, among other factors, this requirement to wear high-vis can vary.

Hi-Vis clothes are mostly worn on busy worksites or working with hazardous materials and machines during construction. The bright colour of Hi-Vis clothing ensures that workers can see each other clearly and easily stand out against the crowd and their worksite, which is crucial when working in high-risk situations.

Another significant aspect to consider is the weather and light conditions in your workplace. If it’s raining and overcast or you need to work during the night/low light conditions, wearing hi-vis workwear should be mandatory. Workers in these low light environments or busy sites don’t allow for proper visibility, meaning hi-vis will come in handy for better visibility and safety.

Australian Guidelines

There are specific guidelines and regulations when it comes to Hi-Vis workwear. General daytime operation workers will most often require a hi-vis vest or fluorescent yellow jacket with reflective stripes. However, depending on the weather and your workplace, there are various other types of high-visibility workwear.

Throughout the day, it’s safe enough for workers to wear fluorescent clothing; this is because these garments can absorb and emit different lights to look brighter than they actually are. However, in dark or low lighting environments, the rules are different. Workwear with retro-reflective material is preferred in these darker situations as this can bounce lights from vehicles and other sources.

However, not all hi-vis workwear is made equal; specific standards need to be met. This includes colour selection which Standards Australia has set as range-red, Red, Yellow, Orange and Yellow (restricted). Restrictions outlining the cloth structure state that fluorescent fabric should cover at least 0.4m2 of the upper torso. The last key factor in these guidelines is the protection your hi-vis clothing provides against ultraviolet radiation.

The Best Place for Workwear

If you want to learn more about hi-vis workplace requirements, read our informative blog on Australian Hi-Vis Standards for more info.

Browse Badger’s online store for quality safety work boots, custom workwear, and bulk buy deals. We have everything tradies, surveyors, farmers, businesses and project managers need, including hi-vis, extreme hot and cold workwear, and women’s options. See for yourself in-store or contact us directly for assistance