Visibly Cool: Highway Construction Wear Getting a Makeover
Engineering News-Record, the bible of the construction industry, has noticed the latest stylish upgrades in high-visibility apparel and gear. The McGraw-Hill publication's Web site offered a "Fall Fashion Is Highly Visible Under New Work-Zone Rule" article on Wednesday that mentioned high-vis products of several PPE manufacturers, including OccuNomix International LLC, 3M, LaCrosse Footwear, and MSA.
The article by Tudor Van Hampton said "Safety suppliers are redesigning high-visibility clothes to be functional as well as (dare we say?) fashionable," and it noted the rule will require any worker in the right of way of a federal-aid highway, day or night, to wear high-visibility garments with Class 2 or Class 3 labels meeting the ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 standard.
Basic vests are out, and features such as added utility pockets, breathable mesh, and more pliable trim are in, Van Hampton wrote. Moisture-wicking outfits are popular, and safety hard hats with high-vis striping are available.
Jennifer McCoy, director of marketing for OccuNomix, told Van Hampton that a high-vis yellow bomber jacket with a list price of $101.50 has been "our runaway best seller."