High-visibility clothing in road construction - This is what matters. 

Road construction clothing according to standard 

In their eye-catching high-visibility road construction clothing, workers are hard to miss. In heat, rain, snow and wind, they are on duty for the community, maintaining or renewing infrastructure. Especially now, when the days are getting shorter and it is dark for a long time, it becomes apparent how important reflective workwear is in road construction, so that the wearers can be easily recognised and are not caught by passing vehicles. 

The safety aspect is, of course, the be-all and end-all in high-visibility protection, as with any other protective clothing. The standard EN ISO 20471 is relevant here. The standard defines, among many other requirements, three warning protection classes that offer different levels of conspicuity. The higher the warning protection class, the larger the minimum area of fluorescent background material and retro-reflective material that the PPE must have. For example, the highest class 3 must have at least 0.8 square metres of background material in the appropriate fluorescent colour and 0.2 square metres of reflective material. 

"However, there are many other requirements in addition to this basic requirement," says Heike Altenhofen. She is Product Manager PPE at the Cologne-based manufacturer BP - Bierbaum-Proenen and an expert in high-visibility protection.

Smart fabric blends 

A factor that can hardly be overestimated is wearing comfort. In this respect, the expectations of wearers have risen sharply. This presents manufacturers with challenges. For unlike workwear, which is not subject to any standards, protective clothing must meet the high demands of the standard and offer lasting safety. At the same time, however, it should be so light and comfortable that employees can wear it all day long without any problems and feel permanently comfortable in their clothing. 

How can protective function and lightness be combined? "For example, by using fabric blends with a stretch content that are comparatively light and yet very durable and resistant," explains Heike Altenhofen. A very large contribution to the perceived lightness is also achieved by patched, segmented reflective stripes, as BP uses in the products of the new BP Hi-Vis Stretch collection. The high-visibility clothing thus loses a lot of weight, while freedom of movement and comfort increase.

Ergonomics and modern design 

And the ergonomics of road construction clothing, achieved for example through intelligent cut design, also play a major role. "If the clothing adapts to the wearer's movements and people do not have to work against resistance, they automatically perceive the PPE as much lighter," the expert knows. 

With regard to functionality, it often comes down to small details that make a big difference. One point that is not necessarily thought of in connection with high-visibility clothing, but which is also important, is design. Here, too, the demands have grown. "This also has a lot to do with the fact that road construction workers take pride in their important work. People want protective clothing that looks good and that underlines their professionalism."

Industrial laundry suitability required 

Employers can therefore also do a lot to make employees feel valued through their choice of workwear. Another important criterion is the industrial washability of the clothing. After all, road construction clothing is often purchased on a leasing basis. In this model, a textile service takes care of washing and reprocessing, among other things, and ensures that workers are always supplied with fresh clothing. In this closed-loop system, the warning clothing for road construction is regularly industrially washed. 

This places high demands on durability, as the clothing must be able to withstand great mechanical and chemical stresses during industrial washing and must not lose its protective function under any circumstances. This industrial laundering suitability is therefore another key argument for employers when selecting high-visibility protective clothing. Here you can find a short video on industrial laundering of PPE according to ISO 15797.

Sustainable production as a key criterion 

The social megatrend of recent years is the topic of sustainability. Socially and ecologically compatible production of protective clothing is now a key criterion, also and especially in public tenders. Manufacturers like BP pay attention to sustainable production in their collections and have their production sites monitored and audited by independent initiatives. BP, for example, works with the independent multi-stakeholder initiative Fairwear Foundation and has been awarded "Fair Wear Leader" status by the organisation for its commitment to social sustainability ten times in a row.

So there are some aspects to consider when choosing workwear for road construction. And the same applies to the manufacturers: "We have to consider and coordinate a great many factors before a collection meets all requirements and can be launched on the market," summarises the BP expert. "This is sometimes very complex and time-consuming - but ultimately it's about protecting lives." 

Find out more about sustainable workwear at BP.