Safety Vests

No one needs to tell a construction worker that his or her job is a dangerous one. Insurance rates alone can dictate that fact. For most construction and labor teams, safety is a priority, and having the proper safety equipment and protection can save not only costs in insurance and liability, but also the very lives of the construction workers on the job. Safety vests are often under-classified in their importance. They usually fall behind hard hats, gloves and steel toed shoes. Builders and road construction crews are especially susceptible to on the job accidents, and have a high industry rate of accidents and even fatalities on the job. Many of these accidents could have possibly been prevented with the addition of safety vests to make workers more visible to others. Safety vests have saved countless lives and should be a priority to any construction company.

The addition of safety vests into the construction work place is a relatively low cost investment that can offset the ultimate costs of medical bills and worker's compensation in the long run. Insurance companies smile upon increased safety features, and the discounts they offer for safety standards can often offset a large portion of the cost of the safety vests themselves. The average safety vest when purchased in bulk will cost less than twenty dollars, and comes in a variety of styles and colors.

Because one type doesn't fit all, safety vests come in a variety of materials for construction crews. The most popular option is polyester, providing a thick but lightweight vest suitable for most situations. However, vinyl vests are increasingly popular for construction crews wishing to increase reflectivity for their crews. Vinyl also carries weather benefits, as rain and other wet climate elements are less invasive to the material. Mesh safety vests are becoming increasingly popular as well. During the heat of summer or other hot climate situations, mesh is an lightweight option that allows for better airflow and cooler body temperature to prevent overheating.

The most prominent feature of safety vests are the bright colors that signal the presence of construction workers. Orange safety vests are the predominate color, as they are the most widely associated with construction crews and signs. However, in order to keep from blending in with road signs, cones and barrels, many road construction crews decide to go with an alternately bright color when they pick a construction safety vest. Bright yellow and lime green are equally visible and can help drivers differentiate between construction workers. For crews that intend to be working at night, a reflective safety vest is a must. It will alert drivers and construction site workers to the whereabouts of workers. Reflectivity can be a part of the vest itself, or added as an LED light on the vest.

The most widely recommended type of safety vest for construction workers will have an ANSI certification. ANSI, or the American National Standards Institute, issues recommendations for safety vests based upon those that will be using it and the environment that they will be used in. ANSI is the general rule of thumb for colors, indicating that yellow, orange and green are the optimal colors for safety vest usage.

OSHA is another certifying force behind safety vests, taking the ANSI recommendations into account and modifying them to make them safer. OSHA is short for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and they set standards that are clear and concise for most companies. If ANSI says that a vest should be green, OSHA may clarify that this should actually be yellow green, to insure the brightness of the vest. Both agencies are important to the safety vest standards. Both ANSI and OSHA certification are recommended for a construction crew's usage.

The agencies that make recommendations for safety vests have put together a classification system to help deteriorate confusion among company workers and construction crews. A class one safety vest is not considered appropriate for construction crews that are working in high traffic areas. Instead, they are recommended for off-road construction. A classification of two denotes a low speed zone in which work will be done. ANSI does certify class two safety vests, though the qualifications for use are limited. A class three safety vest is the most widely used vest for construction workers, and is used in all situations of high traffic and speeds above twenty-five miles per hour.

Construction companies can purchase safety vests from a variety of retailers, with competitive prices and retailer to customer guidance. Some of the best rates can be found online, with a variety of customizations available to distinguish job roles and titles. Most safety vest retailers will be able to assist customers in making the right purchase to meet his or her company classification and certification requirements.