Reasons to Wear Safety Vests

Safety vests are essential for many jobs, especially for those working in high-traffic areas.flagman - road work safety image by Stephen Jacoby from Fotolia.com

Safety vests are made out of reflective material and are manufactured in a variety of bright colors. Worn by road workers, road flaggers and emergency personnel, safety vests help alert citizens of dangerous work zones or cautionary areas. Bicyclists and other sporting enthusiasts also wear safety vests to ensure their safety during a ride or a game. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that safety vests should encompass reflective materials that are sewn into all areas of the vest that include horizontal, vertical and angular stripes; this allows them to be used for both day and night work.

Reducing Traffic Accidents

Wearing a safety vest when working in dangerous or high-traffic areas can help reduce road accidents. Drivers that see workers wearing bright orange or red safety vests can identify dangerous areas and slow their vehicles down so they can travel through a construction or school zone--and around pedestrians--in a safe manner.

Some recreational sports such as hunting require competitors to wear safety vests. Safety vests can alert other hunting enthusiasts as to your location, thereby keeping you safe from bullets and other weapons.

Bicyclists should wear safety vests at night or during any inclement weather. Safety vests can alert motorists as to your presence on the road, allowing them to slow down and go around you safely. BicycleSafety.com reports that wearing helmets and keeping to the right of the lane is not enough when it comes to bicyclists' safety. Safety vests can alert pedestrians and motorists alike of their position during a ride.

Certain life jackets can be used as safety vests when enjoying recreational activities such as water skiing, boating, canoeing and jet skiing. Life jacket safety vests act as both a flotation device and as a reflective tool to allow other recreational enthusiasts to see you at all times. In times of a water emergency, a life jacket safety vest can allow emergency personnel to see your exact location.

Road construction workers benefit from wearing safety vests when working in dull light or darkness as it allows motorists to see them in their work zones. This is especially important when construction workers are completing a job on a highway where the traffic is moving at a fast speed.