It was first introduced to the UK in 1964 when railway maintenance workers used it in Glasgow, but high visibility workwear was invented back in the 1930s. An American called Bob Switzer developed a fluorescent paint and made the first item of high –visibility clothing using his wife’s wedding dress. Bet she didn’t see that coming!

The use of hi-vis clothing was originally associated with occupations that were particularly dangerous, such as the emergency services as well as road maintenance and the aforementioned railways. With the introduction of the 1974 Heath and Safety Act, the 1992 Personal Protective Equipment at Work regulations, and numerous local health and safety and fire regulations has seen the use of hi-vis has become a somewhat all-purpose symbol of authority and of safety-first.

Its use has multiplied so that it has gone beyond the workplace and seems like it is everywhere, and on everyone from security guards to cyclists: It is simply impossible to ignore, but maybe that’s the whole point.

To some it shows what is wrong about the modern risk adverse nanny state, health and safety obsessed country we have become where you can’t even have a game of conkers without wearing high-vis clothing and goggles. It has even been used in a song entitled ‘King of High Vis’ by indie band Half Man Half Biscuit, which tells the story of a man who spends his time getting into sporting and music events by simply wearing a high-vis vest and using the gift of the gab: “I’m Dave the Spark, or I could be Mike / Paramedics, police, authorised and holy / Be safe, be seen, be anyone you like”. It was even featured on a recent edition of  ‘The One Show’ on BBC1 when author and comedian Arthur Smith simply donned a high-vis jacket, stood on a street corner and ordered people to walk round a lamp post or sit in other seats at a café simply on the strength on wearing the jacket.  

However, this bright, synthetic material has undoubtedly reduced traffic accidents and making thousands of jobs safer to complete so when it is used properly high visibility workwear is undoubtedly an asset but outside of work in certain circumstances it is definitely a liability