Hi-vis work gear is a vital part of industrial workplaces – as those who work at roadsides or in other vulnerable areas know, wearing high vis jackets or vests is a crucial part of their continued health and safety at work.
In addition to keeping you safe in high risk or hazardous workplaces where operators of heavy machinery need to see you at all times, hi-vis wear is the perfect clothing for adverse weather conditions.
It’s not exactly a high fashion look, but you'll be glad you had your hi-vis vest on hand if you're out and about in low light conditions or at night. That's why you see more hikers, joggers, horse riders and cyclists/ motorcyclists wearing fluorescent colours these days.
In fact, in many European countries, it’s now mandatory to pack a high visibility waistcoat for every occupant in your car in case it breaks down and you’re forced to wait by the side of the road for assistance.
Even dog walkers are starting to kit themselves and their pups out with hi-vis wear when going for an early morning and night walks. Whether it's a forklift or suburban SUV, they're realising you can't be too careful when traversing high traffic areas.
And if your child walks or cycles to and from school, you should definitely invest in a reflective hi-vis vest for them to wear while they do so – it’s better to be safe than sorry. During misty, foggy mornings or driving rain, it can be challenging to see grey or dark school uniforms on the road – in this case, hi-vis can make sure children come home safe and sound.
It also turns out there’s a few other good reasons to wear a hi-vis vest beyond the safety factor, as these two cheeky individuals discovered.
Apparently, a fluorescent hi-vis vest, fake walkie-talkies and a hefty dose of chutzpah can get you anywhere you want to go, as Melbournites David Allegretti and his friend Sam discovered at a young age.
“There's a loophole into getting into places for free if you're so inclined,” David explains. “You just need to pretend to be an important person. And people who wear hi-vis are important in the sense that they fix things no one else cares about.”
“If you see someone in hi-vis stepping through a barricade, or marching past a bouncer, you naturally assume they're headed to fix something,” he continues. “This makes a hi-vis vest the keys to life.”
From twelve years old, the pair began exploiting the hi-vis excuse – they discovered that when you look like you’re officially there to fix something, you can pass any barrier.
How twelve-year-olds managed to pass themselves off as workers is anyone's guess, but the duo soon found themselves waltzing past movie theatre ushers, sauntering through the zoo’s turnstiles, even getting in to see a Coldplay stadium concert for free!
While we don't condone using a hi-vis vest to scam your way to free stuff, David and Sam’s story does prove a point – hi-vis industrial workwear uniforms are instantly recognisable in a wide range of circumstances. And that – more often than not – saves lives.