What Colour Are Safety Vests? The Complete Guide to High‑Visibility Gear, Regulations & Choosing the Right Shade for Every Job
A foreman once sent a crew out on a dusty highway in plain‑blue work shirts because the colour‑coded vests were still in the delivery bin. Within minutes a fuel tanker swerved, the workers were almost struck, and the site was shut down while SafeWork NSW issued a fine for non‑compliant hi‑vis gear. The mistake was simple – the wrong colour and class of vest can turn a routine task into a near‑miss and a costly compliance breach. Knowing exactly which safety‑vest colour to use, and why, is as vital as any tool in the toolbox. Below is the down‑to‑earth guide that tells you which shade belongs where, the standards you must meet, and how to avoid the common slip‑ups that cost time, money and, sometimes, lives.