The City of Houston is looking to make street workers highly visible in order to prevent accidents, and it looks like their bright yellow shirts will do the trick. “We have people tease and cover their eyes when we walk up,” says one worker about the new uniform. And that sort of visibility is just what the city wants.
According to the Chickasaw Journal, all city street department workers will now be required to wear neon yellow shirts and/or vests. Not only are they an extremely bright color, but they also have reflective strips to further increase visibility. The uniforms are all in an attempt to keep workers safe.
Street department workers are not only at risk of common construction-type accidents—those accidents that are bound to happen where heavy equipment is being used—but they also face risks from traffic and vehicles while on the job.
Making the workers more visible will hopefully lessen their risks of not being spotted. The Chickasaw Journal reports,
“You would think being on a construction project or working around our equipment would be the most dangerous place for our guys,” said Nichols. “They tell us the most dangerous place to be is working on a city street or anywhere there is traffic and cars passing by.”
Nichols said the new shirts and vest can be spotted more than 100-yards down a busy street.
“We want people to learn that if they get just a glimpse of that color, they need to slow down,” said Nichols. “Nobody wants to be involved in an accident where they hit a city employee who is just doing his job.”
Nichols said the city has made wearing the shirts and vest mandatory in an effort to hold down insurance costs. He said each employee will be issued five shirts and be responsible for cleaning and maintaining them.
If a worker is caught not wearing their new yellow shirt, they risk three warnings before dismissal.
Street crews face accident risks every day. Just a few weeks ago, a worker was killed by a passing vehicle. So, while jokes can be made about the attractiveness of these uniforms, they are a very serious prevention measure.
Kevin Krist, Houston Personal Injury Attorney
If you are hurt while working or if you are hit by a car while walking in your neighborhood, I may be able. Whenever someone is injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault, they could be entitled to compensation if someone else can be held responsible.
Contact my office today to discuss the details of your injury accident and whether or not you have a case. I can be reached at 281-677-3967.
