We have been seeing a lot of companies requiring all workers to wear high visibility vests in all areas of their facility. Most of these vests are made of synthetic materials and this brings about my concerns. SAFTENG has recently been at three different facilities where we have witnessed welders and electrical workers wearing these synthetic vests. OSHA may or may not take issue with wearing these synthetic vests over their Flame Retardant Clothing (FRC), but from a basic limitation of the FRC is that it must be the outer most garment to work to its fullest. They do make High Visibility vest in flame retardant materials – its what SAFTENG team members wear when we are in our FRC and in high traffic situations. I am a Bulwark and DRIFIRE fan, but there are other manufacturers. My vest carries an HRC1 rating; but I do not rely on that rating in my PPE assessment; I wear this vest so it is not a fuel source should I be involved in a flash fire. I would bet OSHA would have more of an issue with these synthetic vest on electrical workers doing work where they are exposed to an arc flash event. But workers doing hotwork, or even around the hotwork, are at risk of their vests catching on fire. Don’t believe me, take one of your synthetic vest – lay it down and grind some metal with the sparks (not all of them) reach the vests and see what happens. CLICK HERE to see Bulwark’s Hi Vis FR vests. This is NOT an endorsement for Bulwark and Bulwark is not a Partner in Safety with SAFTENG; but it is the vest SAFTENG team members wear. Another manufacturer of FRC that SAFTENG uses is DRIFIRE and they too offer a Hi Vis Vest which carries an HRC3 rating.