HIGH VISIBILITY

BY : Shiloh Schmidt Corporate Health and Safety

Often when I speak to workers I’m asked “why do I have to wear a safety vest?” the obvious answer is that wearing a high-vis vest improves safety. It allows you to be seen at night and from further distances away. It also reduces the risk of you being seriously injured by a passing vehicle. Not only is this most  company’s policy, but IT’S ALSO THE LAW!!

The Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Regulation section 12.13 includes a provision to protect those working around moving vehicles. The regulation states “Where an employee is regularly exposed to contact with moving vehicles during their work, they must wear a high-visibility vest or other similar clothing, or be protected by a barricade that is readily visible under all conditions of use”. This includes contact with moving vehicles outside and inside of buildings.

Be sure to have your high visibility vest on when working around moving vehicles in warehouses, customer facilities, truck stops and roadways. Let’s all follow the law and practice safe behaviors.