By Scott A. Corrao, President of Reflective Apparel
As the days become shorter, workers need increased visibility. Daylight savings means employees are less visible while working in low-light situations. While there are numerous high visibility safety standards that protect workers near moving vehicles and heavy equipment, people often work in environments where hi visibility is not required.
Some employees not required to wear hi visibility safety apparel still work in low-light situations. Many of these workers, such as couriers, valet attendants, bellhops, event staff and delivery drivers, work at night or near moving vehicles. They are even more at risk as dusk approaches earlier during the winter.
How do employers protect these people and keep them safe? Reflective Apparel aims to make all workers visible by designing uniforms with reflective properties that are discreet in the daylight, but provide hi visibility retro-reflectivity in low-light situations. WildSpark™ performance apparel is designed to be used in situations where ANSI safety standards are not required, but visibility still needs to be a focus.
Hi Visibility in Low-Light Situations
While ANSI hi visibility apparel is regulated by strict standards, enhanced visibility garments are not. Enhanced safety often refers to a garment that has retro-reflective striping added for visibility. For some companies, large strips of reflective tape across uniforms may not align with the company’s brand image. As a result, many uniforms lack reflective properties. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reflective Apparel has been able to design apparel that uses discreet visibility properties that allow the garment to aid in low-light conditions.
With retro-reflective properties integrated into the entire surface area of the fabric, WildSpark™ garments make wearers highly visible even in extremely low-light situations. WildSpark™ garments can be customized to look like traditional high-quality uniforms, and the reflective properties are not apparent until they are needed. This means a uniform may look like a traditional uniform with a company logo and still provide low-light visibility. While enhanced visibility is not required for all employees, it can improve the safety of all workers. And not just on the clock, but off the clock as well.
Off-the-Clock Safety
Vulnerable road users’ fatalities have been increasing in the United States at an alarming rate. More than 7,000 pedestrians were killed in crashes involving a motor vehicle in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). That equates to one death every 75 minutes.
Companies can do more to keep workers safe both on and off the clock. Companies are responsible for keeping workers safe on the job, but the new standard is enhanced uniforms that also protect employees after work. Many workers clock out and wear their uniform as they navigate to their car, travel to a bus stop or walk their dog after work. Hi visibility clothing is important for everyone, especially when they are outside during dusk, night and dawn. Employers can help keep employees safe after hours by providing them with comfortable attire that has discreet reflectivity.
Benefits of Making Workers More Visible
Increasing workers’ visibility does not have to be legally mandated to be important. Prioritizing worker safety not only saves lives, but it also benefits businesses too.
Studies show multiple benefits of investing in worker safety, including:
- Increased retention
- Lower injury costs
- Reduced absenteeism
- Decreased turnover
- Increased productivity and quality
- Improved employee morale & loyalty
The reflective properties of WildSpark™ garments allow people to “Be Safe and Be Seen” while at work or play. Wildspark™ is available wholesale, through Reflective Apparel’s network of distributors. For more information, visit www.wildsparkapparel.com.
ABOUT
Scott A. Corrao is the president of Reflective Apparel, which manufacturers quality high visibility garments for public and private sector workers, including firefighters, police officers, railroad workers, Department of Transportation employees, construction workers and airport employees. Originally founded in 1989 to support the public safety market’s need for nighttime reflectivity, Reflective Apparel was at the forefront of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel, having pioneered many of the ANSI garment solutions found today. Reflective Apparel’s warehouse and production facilities are located in Marietta, Georgia. For more information, visit www.reflectiveapparel.com.
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