Putting the safe in safety gear

Up until a few years ago, drivers for Rogue Disposal & Recycling wore red polo shirts, in the same red color as the trucks you see on the road. Today, our drivers wear neon-colored and reflective hazard wear. Why the change? In a word: Safety.

Helping to keep workers out of harm’s way

When you think of the most dangerous jobs, occupations like steel workers, miners, fishermen and roofers come to mind. When the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics released their latest National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, those jobs were all in the top 10, with logging being the most dangerous. But it might surprise you to know that refuse and recyclable material collectors — trash and recycling collection drivers — ranked as the seventh most deadliest jobs in the United States.

One of the ways to help address this is by having drivers wear clothing that stands out. Which is why we said goodbye to the red shirts and switched over to reflective gear in bright, neon, hard-to-ignore colors — colors that are now universally associated with safety-related occupations.

The science behind the safety

Essential safety colors — such as neon yellow, fluorescent orange and safety green — provide maximum visibility for workers in dangerous occupations. The bold and vibrant nature of these colors sets them apart from the majority of everyday backgrounds, like natural landscapes and typical suburban areas. By clearly standing out and attracting attention, they play a critical role in safety equipment — including work gear.

Since fluorescent and neon colors absorb and emit light, they work well during early mornings and late evenings when light conditions are low. Due to where they are on the visibility spectrum, these fluorescent and neon colors optimize visibility, making the workers wearing them easily discernible, helping to reduce accident risks due to physical hazards.

Adding reflective tape to bright-colored hazard wear helps reflect light — including light from headlights. Using a principle known as retro-reflection, silvered inks in the reflective tape bounce light back toward its original source. This is why workers wearing hazard gear with reflective gear seem to almost glow when hit with a light source. And since the ultimate function of high-visibility work wear is to enhance the wearer’s visibility, safety colors and reflective tape work together to do their job.

Now when you see a Rogue Disposal & Recycling driver, Transfer Station worker or other employee in the field, you’ll know why they’re wearing neon-colored, reflective hazard gear. And when you do see them, please remember to slow down, keep a safe distance and be cautious. Our workers — and their families — appreciate it.