High-visibility apparel

Responding is Andrea Cancellieri, president and owner, GAME Sportswear Ltd., Yorktown Heights, NY.

In recent years, personal protective equipment and safety apparel industries have seen demand rise for a wider variety of products that are not required to meet ANSI standards; can be reused; and are low cost, easy to use and easy to wear. The increase for safety apparel worn indoors and outdoors has expanded to various on-the-job and recreational uses, including:

• Indoor warehouse and maintenance personnel
• Industrial facility visitors or departments
• Special event volunteers
• Stadium or large venue security, vendors and food service staff
• Parking lot attendants and security
• School crossing guards
• Protestors or demonstrators

Various brightly colored vests with reflective tape are quickly becoming a popular choice to meet all these criteria and fulfill uniform requirements for these positions.

Although ANSI-compliant clothing may not be required, there still is a desire to be distinguishable from other people or groups. Along with the functional desire to be easily recognized and uniformed, cost and ease of use play important roles in the increased use of this type of safety apparel.

Cost is always a factor for being uniformed or designated as part of a team or group. The pros of using an inexpensive vest – available with a variety of bright background colors and reflective tape – allows the individual wearing this type of vest to be recognized and associated with a department, team, or even as a staff member or volunteer with a specific skill set or function. Using a vest will allow the company or organization to outfit and designate its staff or volunteers at a reasonable cost with an item that easily can be worn and used again.

Editor's note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be construed as a National Safety Council endorsement.