Safety vests

The safety vest is one of the personal protective equipment intended to make anyone working in a risky environment such as a construction site, roadside or other visible.

When and why should you wear the yellow/orange safety vest?

The safety vest, also known as a yellow vest, has been expressly designed to allow anyone in a environment dangerous to be easily spotted thanks to its color and its reflective bands. Any garment covering the upper body and ensuring the same mission or having the same characteristics making it very visible, is also qualified as a safety vest. In other words, it must have a fluorescent color and have surfaces or reflective bands, hence its other name: the fluorescent vest. Also called high visibility chasuble, it can be declined in different cuts: shirt, tank top, parka, rain cape, T-shirt, etc. To fully fulfill its role, it must be worn over all of its user's clothing. The goal is to make it stand out even from yards away, as well as in the dark. Even though it's commonly referred to as a yellow vest, the color doesn't really matter.

Features of the fluorescent safety vest

The safety vest must be fluorescent in order to ensure clear signaling in all light conditions (day, night, artificial lights, headlights), for the safety of workers working on the road, on public works sites or in a high-risk environment. In accordance with the current standard, the safety vest must have 2 to 4 reflective strips which are in no way likely to blind. Some models of this type personal protective equipment are made of flame-retardant and anti-static mesh that protects against heat, flames and loads electrostatic.

The different types of safety vests

Currently, there are 4 categories of safety vests according to their use:

‒ Class 2

‒ Class 3

‒ Public Safety

‒ The economy

The class 2 type is worn by people who find themselves or work in a high traffic area, with bad weather conditions or in a dangerous environment. It is fluorescent, yellow or orange in color and worn over clothing or uniforms. It is made for workers experts in BTP, in road traffic, in the management of natural or non-natural disasters and in fields of public utility, among others. Construction workers often wear safety shoes with them. The class 3 vest is dedicated to people working in dark or heavy traffic areas or with extreme weather conditions that could put their lives in danger. With a blouse-style cut and available here in mesh or rubber, or featuring a design resembling the jacket and sweatshirt, it offers a higher level of safety. The colors chosen for this type of vest are yellow, orange or fluorescent lime. The safety vest public is worn by police officers, paramedics, transport ministry officials and others. For the police, the vest is blue, the paramedics have a green vest, the firefighters – public security personnel – wear a red vest so that they can be easily distinguished. As for the economy vest, it is made for people managing or directing traffic or security services during special events. Motorcyclists can also use it when riding at night or in bad weather.

Legislation: Why wearing a high visibility vest is mandatory?

Since July 2008, any vehicle circulating on national territory must have on board a advance warning triangle and a yellow vest. Any car owner, whatever its type, who does not comply with this obligation is liable to a 4th class fine, namely a fixed fine of 135 euros or a reduced by 90 euros. However, you have to be careful when buying, because fake yellow vests currently exist on the market. Indeed, these do not meet European standards with regard to their retro-reflective strips or their ability to be seen from afar. Their fluorescent characteristics then fade gradually to disappear completely after a few weeks or months. These are easily recognized by a CE mark affixed to them and containing an instruction manual.

Where is the high visibility warning vest in the car?

If a motorist is forced to make an emergency stop on the road, he must put on his safety vest before getting out of his car. This is why it is advisable to store it, not in the trunk, but in the vehicle itself, so that it is always within reach. It is also recommended to have enough for all passengers, in order to prevent any risk of accident for everyone.

Where to buy a fluorescent safety vest?

Oxwork offers a wide selection of safety vests on its website, with or without sleeves, in various fluorescent colors, all at the best value for money. Feel free to browse the rest of our selection of high-visibility products offered by Oxwork.