Retro-reflective workwear is an important part of personal protective clothing when it comes to improving the visibility of the wearer. In dangerous zones, be it construction sites, hazardous work environments, emergency vehicles, and even in law enforcement, it is imperative that the workers are completely visible and easily spotted, so as to avoid any injuries or accidents. As such, the personnel in these high-risk areas are mandated to don safety coveralls.

During the daytime, fluorescent clothing in bright colors of red, yellow, blue, green, and orange is sufficient to provide high visibility. However, when it gets dark, these overalls are rendered useless. Hence, high visibility fabric is incorporated with retro-reflective tapes which reflect the light back to its source thus increasing visibility even in the dark.

This occupational PPE workwear is a must in low visibility areas and for ground staff in airports, railways, highways, as well as for medics and workers in high traffic areas. Best Marine Pvt. Ltd. which was recently awarded as the best safety gear supplier in India excels in this type of safety coverall with reflective tapes to provide optimal visibility and protection.

Reflective tape originally consisted of tiny spheres like glass beads which reflected the light back to the source without diminishing it. Today, retro-reflective clothing uses prismatic components in a transparent film which reflects the light back more efficiently due to its precise and sharper angles. Hi-vis clothing consists of -

• Jackets
• Vests
• Trousers
• Coverall suits
• Boiler suits

These are glued or layered with these reflective tapes for improved visibility in low-light or dark areas.

The ANSI–ISEA 107 safety standard compliant clothing includes coveralls with retro-reflective tapes and even mandates fluorescent backgrounds to enhance visibility during the day. The 3 approved fluorescent backgrounds include –

• Lime green
• Red
• Orange

ANSI 107 divides all safety gear into 3 grades of protection:

• Class 1 – It includes safety standards for parking representatives, warehouse workers, and maintenance workers, basically where traffic is limited to 25mph.
• Class 2 – It encompasses law enforcement personnel, airport ground staff, and railway workers, and areas where traffic is between 25-50 mph.
• Class 3 – It delineates rules for traffic above 50mph and is applicable to construction crews, emergency responders, vehicle operators, and survey crew in high-intensity zones.

Safety regulations for PPE clothing range from everything to the amount of retroreflective tape on the coveralls, to its placement, design, and color. It is also highly recommended that hi-vis workwear is made flame resistant as many volatile occupations require the safety gear to be inflammable and heat resistant.

A few common things to bear in mind with overalls and boiler suits with reflective tapes is that different colors are suited to different environments. Just like yellow or green won’t be suited to a dense forest area, similarly, red is futile in a fire emergency. As such, it is important to use those colors which stand out in poor visibility areas.

Retro-reflective tapes are of different types:

1. Flexible Engineer Grade Type 1 Reflective Tape – Very versatile. Most popular among all the reflective tapes. Its flexibility and conformability make it a perfect fit for vehicle striping. With a 7 year outdoor life, it is greatly used and has the maximum available color options in red, green, blue, white, yellow, black, gold, and orange.
2. High-Intensity Type 3 Reflective Tape – This is mostly used for traffic purposes in traffic signboards, cones, barricades, work equipment, dumpsters, road barrels, gates etc. It is almost 3-4 times brighter than the engineer grade tape and is usually government approved for transportation usage.
3. High-Intensity Prismatic Type 4 Reflective Tape – Available in colors of red, blue, green, yellow, orange, and white, this prismatic reflective tape is a lot more vibrant and vivid than its type 3 counterpart. With 43% higher brightness than type 3, this is a perfect fit for vehicles and road equipment during the night and day.
4. V92 Daybright Prismatic Tape – Similar to a type 4 film, this finds maximum application in fire trucks and emergency vehicles as well as PVC pipes. Made of a single continuous strip, this is highly adhesive, offers a smooth surface, and is an extremely durable material.
5. V98 Conformable Prismatic Reflective Tape – Its prismatic design comes in handy for higher visibility and this is a common choice for uneven and rough surfaces, with white, blue, red, and fluorescent lime yellow color options.
6. V82 Type 5 Retro-Reflective Tape – With a 10-year outdoor life, this high-efficiency type 5 tape is the brightest of all. Used in alternating colors, this DOT tape can be used in red, yellow, white, and blue for striping fire equipment and ambulances.
7. Crystal Grade Type 8 Retro-Reflective Tape – This staggering type 8 grade is super bright and equipped with an octagonal prismatic surface for maximum visibility. At a 10 year outdoor life, it is the ideal choice for highway delineators and signs that need to be visible from a long distance.

Personal protective wear and safety products with reflective tapes find different applications in a host of industries and can even be customized as required. Right from the placement of the reflective tapes on the arms, waist or shoulders, to the surface area covered, and even the pattern is customizable. Shoulder strips are avoided to reduce heat and blisters around the neck and ears, whereas strips below the chest are preferred to avoid windshield glare for drivers.

Best Marine, one of the leading manufacturers in industrial coveralls and suits, provides a top grade, durable, personalized workwear that is ANSI compliant. You can contact them at www.bestmarine.com for their complete head to toe protection services.