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Importance of Safety Colors for Sweatshirts & Hoodies
Just because the days are getting shorter and it is getting darker earlier doesn't mean we're going inside. Some of us might continue to work outside after the sun sets, and many of us aren't going to let the cooler weather and shorter days keep us from enjoying outdoor activities. Sweatshirts and hoodies incorporating safety colors can help us stay visible, no matter what we're doing. Let's discuss the importance of safety colors for sweatshirts and hoodies.
Importance of Safety Colors for Sweatshirts and Hoodies: Professional Purposes
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employees who work in high-traffic areas, such as roadway construction sites and excavation sites, to wear bright orange, yellow, or yellow-green shirts, even during the day. If these employees work at night, regulations also require them to wear retro-reflective vests or jackets that reflect a percentage of headlight beams.
Even if you don't work in a profession that exposes you to automotive traffic, visibility in certain situations is still important. For example, maybe you work in landscaping or tree-trimming. Wearing sweatshirts and hoodies in safety colors can help you avoid some workplace hazards. Warehouses, processing plants, and factories are other environments where safety colors can provide extra protection.
Safety Colors for Athletes
The start of the school year means many kids will be staying after school for football practice, soccer practice, and other athletic activities. Some track teams also start practicing in the fall to prepare for the upcoming spring track and field season. These practice sessions can last long after the sun goes down, and safety-colored sweatshirts and hoodies can help prevent accidents on the field and during runs along busy roadways.
If you enjoy going on runs or bike rides before or after work, it's also important for you to stay visible as daylight hours decrease. A safety green, yellow, or orange shirt will help drivers see you, whether it's 5 a.m. or 5 p.m. Customizing safety-colored sweatshirts or hoodies for your running club or your kid's football team is a great idea if you're looking for a new project. We recommend the Gildan 50/50 hooded sweatshirt in High Viz Safety Green. It holds up great for iron-on transfers and is pill-resistant after multiple washes.
Family Outings
If you're planning a family outing to a crowded destination like a county fair, amusement park, or haunted house, wearing bright safety colors can help your kids stand out in the crowd, making it easier to spot them if you get separated. You might even want to wear matching safety colors so they can spot you or describe you easily. JiffyShirts offers safety-colored sweatshirts, hoodies, and other items in kids' and adult sizes.
Costumes
Being safe on Halloween is a must. Whether you're trick-or-treating with the little ones or attending a neighbor's Halloween bash, you can make the holiday safer by using safety-colored sweatshirts or hoodies as part of your costume.
For example, you and your friends can dress up as jack-o'-lanterns by applying iron-on transfers to safety orange sweatshirts. Add green felt leaves and a stem to a matching orange hat for the top of the pumpkin.
Camping and Hunting
We can't overstate the importance of safety colors for sweatshirts and hoodies when you're exploring the great outdoors. A safety orange sweatshirt or hoodie is essential to keep you from blending in with trees or being mistaken for an animal. Even if you're not a hunter, your hike or camping trip might coincide with hunting season, so you want to avoid natural colors.
When you bring your dog along, you can outfit them in a safety orange vest and put a bright orange bandana around their neck. Wearing bright colors can also come in handy if you get lost or injured and your group needs to find you.
Sun Protection
While we've mentioned that the daylight hours decrease in fall and winter, it's still essential to protect your skin while out in the sun. Even on cloudy days, UV rays can cause damage, and if you live in an area that experiences snow, you can get sunburned from reflected UV light. While dark colors absorb UV rays, dark clothing might get too hot if you're outside all day. Bright safety colors can also absorb UV rays, and you won't overheat.
Just for Fun
While safety pink doesn't meet OSHA standards as an official safety color like orange, yellow, or yellow-green, it's still a very noticeable color that's great for your fun DIY projects. For example, you can customize some safety pink sweatshirts for your friend's bachelorette party, ensuring your group stands out at the bar and on the dance floor.
Maybe you're competing with friends at a field day or trivia night and want to make shirts for your team. Any of JiffyShirts' neon tops will set you apart from other teams. You can also use hot pink totes to make goody bags for your bridal party or to commemorate other special events.
Now that you've learned about the importance of safety colors for sweatshirts and hoodies, you're probably eager to incorporate safety colors into your DIY projects. Browse our selection of safety-colored hoodies and sweatshirts that aren't just stylish but also provide peace of mind. If you have any questions, our awesome customer service team is happy to help you find the right safety-colored items for your project.