High visibility clothing is everywhere these days. From construction workers to lollipop ladies, cyclists to dustmen, fluorescent garments seem to be uniform of choice. What’s behind it all?

Official Health & Safety regulations stipulate that employers have a legal duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their staff, and that includes personal protection. At a time where being hit by a moving vehicle is the second most common cause of death in the workplace today, accounting for 17% of all fatal injuries, it’s essential to be safe than sorry.

Many hazardous workplaces come to mind where employees and contractors are required to wear Hi Vis clothing – construction sites, scaffolding towers, warehouses and transport companies, factories, roadside locations, to mention a few. Garments are particularly useful during low visibility, both day and night and in adverse weather conditions, where they really can save lives.

The reflective material enhances visibility by returning the light to a light source, such as vehicle headlights, creating a bright image that motorists are more likely to see from a distance. This gives drivers more time to react and reduces the risk of accident.

As protective clothing, there is now a huge range of garments available – vests, t-shirts, trousers, jackets, hats, overalls, waterproofs and more – for every conceivable occupation and weather condition. And while Hi Vis materials undoubtedly play an important part in protecting the lives of many working people, we couldn’t help laughing out loud when we saw the hilarious results of using the special fabric in totally new environments.

Here are our 5 favourite Hi Vis fashion creations:

  1. What does a Scottish builder do for Hi Vis gear? Wear a kilt, of course.

hi-viz-1http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f99/blaklaeder-hi-viz-kilt-41169/

  1. What’s the best way for a Muslim woman to protect herself on the streets of Britain? With a safety burka!

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http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-05-10/the-woman-in-the-neon-niqab

  1. Hi Vis has arrived on the catwalk. Behold Ashish Gupta’s Autumn/Winter 2013 collection for London Fashion Week.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2281129/When-sequins-bin-men-collide-Ashish-unveils-homage-glamorous-working-girls-complete-hi-vis-vests-blinging-overalls-London-Fashion-Week.html

  1. Borat has much to answer for, with this dubious trend for Hi Vis mankinis.

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http://cafe.comebackalive.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46802

  1. How does the chicken cross the road safely? Now we’ve really seen it all.

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http://www.therevcounter.co.uk/threads/94193-Early-April-fools-joke-Hi-Viz-for-chickens

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