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"Apparel is a big word," he continues. "There's more to it than a safety vest. You do have choices. Innovative materials are being fashioned into an expanded variety of worker garments, including short- or long-sleeved shirts, shorts, gloves, headgear, jackets and parkas that provide enhanced visibility in low light conditions - as well as maximize comfort - even after frequent launderings. These options make it easier than ever to move beyond the vest and select the right garments for the job."

Shed a little light
With an increase in the number of night jobs, artificial light becomes crucial to ensure motorists can readily see workers, and workers can readily see the required task. The biggest concern associated with night lighting is glare, some of which can be annoying or even disabling.

One factor that affects glare is light placement. "If you have a higher light source, like a light tower, and deploy it to a full 30 feet, the light comes down from above. It will be out of the direct vision of the workers, so they don't look right into it, which can be blinding," says Rus Warner, product marketing manager, lighting systems, Doosan Infracore Portable Power. "Having the light source up high is an advantage."

Glare is also influenced by the angle of the light. Since terrain, obstacles, etc. can affect lighting, experiment with different angles to avoid aiming it into oncoming traffic or workers' line of sight. "You can blind motorists and they won't be able to see you, or see where to follow the traffic pattern," Warner says.

Also consider the reflective properties of the surfaces within the work area. "Wet asphalt will diffuse light differently than dry asphalt," Warner explains. "You will also want to consider glare coming from mirrors, vehicles, etc."