Hi-Viz Vests - Freight

[dangie]

Sorry if this has been asked before:
Why do freight drivers always seem to wear Hi-Viz waistcoats when driving but passenger drivers do not? Never seen a Pendolino driver in Hi-Viz, only shirt and tie..!!

 

[Temple Meads]

Probably down to freight drivers having to do a lot of work in and around the cab before departure and on arrival?

 

[GB]

Probably because there is more chance of freight drivers being trackside than passenger drivers and its easier and quicker just to keep it on.

 

[142094]

Passenger drivers normally only put them on when accessing the track, which can be quite rare for them to do compared to a freight driver.

 

[O L Leigh]

At least one colleague of mine is never seen out of his HV.

Honestly, it's not often that you need to wear one when you drive passenger trains. Most times your train starts and finishes in a platform whereas a freight train is more likely to start and finish in a yard or siding. However, where I have to take a train out of the sidings at the start of the day and then put it back again later I will keep my HV on. It just saves on time putting it away only to have to take it out again later.

That said, railway HV is a PITA. The press-studs in the shoulder dig in when you carry a bag over the shoulder and it's almost impossible to walk through a unit without it snagging on something and pulling all the press-studs apart.

O L Leigh

 

[Cherry_Picker]

You want to get one of those nice velcro ones like I have then. :P

And it really is down to the nature of the work as has been highlighted already in this thread. That said, I know plenty of passenger drivers who are almost always in their HV jacket.

 

[tsr]

At least one colleague of mine is never seen out of his HV.

Honestly, it's not often that you need to wear one when you drive passenger trains. Most times your train starts and finishes in a platform whereas a freight train is more likely to start and finish in a yard or siding. However, where I have to take a train out of the sidings at the start of the day and then put it back again later I will keep my HV on. It just saves on time putting it away only to have to take it out again later.

That said, railway HV is a PITA. The press-studs in the shoulder dig in when you carry a bag over the shoulder and it's almost impossible to walk through a unit without it snagging on something and pulling all the press-studs apart.

O L Leigh

Interesting. I would say that about 30% of Southern drivers wear hi-vis vests and perhaps 20% of FCC drivers do. It's certainly a higher number than a handful.

With regards to the press studs, could you not opt for a jacket instead of a vest when you are likely to be on/near the track in colder weather? Many EN471 & GO/RT spec hi-vis jackets do not have studs, except on the hood, and therefore do not snag. They are also likely to be properly waterproof - better, of course, if you are outdoors and it's raining (or if your station is inclined to leak ). On the other hand, vests can be safer since they are designed to rip apart if caught on machinery or part of a train. It's all for your own safety, as you know.

 

[driver9000]

You want to get one of those nice velcro ones like I have then. :P

I keep getting the velcro on mine attached to the seat. I have quite a collection of seat fabric strands stuck to it now

I'm pretty much the same as OL Leigh, if I'm going to or from a yard I tend to keep it on otherwise it stays stashed away in my bag until I need it.

 

[O L Leigh]

We already wear uniform coats and are only issued with HV vests. Besides, they must have either press-studs or velcro so that they come apart if snagged by a passing train, and for longevity I'd rather have the press-studs.

O L Leigh

 

[TGV]

That said, railway HV is a PITA. The press-studs in the shoulder dig in when you carry a bag over the shoulder and it's almost impossible to walk through a unit without it snagging on something and pulling all the press-studs apart.

O L Leigh

My SNCF HV doesn't have the stud poppers. That type is available to me though - I think.

 

[wensley]

Some passenger drivers seem to be far more willing to be on the cess to grab the SPT as soon as they get checked Others will sit and wait it out. And if you get a clear signal before you're in the cab it's a better idea to start moving, rather than getting you're hi vis off I would say!!! It all depends on the driver, the working etc etc

 

[plymothian]

Bit barmy H&S in some way, uniform coats don't come with tearaway arms, what if that got snagged?

 

[Cherry_Picker]

We already wear uniform coats and are only issued with HV vests. Besides, they must have either press-studs or velcro so that they come apart if snagged by a passing train, and for longevity I'd rather have the press-studs.

O L Leigh

Over the years I have found that the press studs ones have shorter lives than velcro because the press studs come through the fabric, especially over the shoulders. Maybe I have just been unlucky, but I much prefer velcro.

And again, agreeing with others, a HV can stay in my bag all day (and often does) but if I put one on for whatever reason then it usually stays on until I get back to the car at the end of my shift.

 

[O L Leigh]

Some passenger drivers seem to be far more willing to be on the cess to grab the SPT as soon as they get checked Others will sit and wait it out. And if you get a clear signal before you're in the cab it's a better idea to start moving, rather than getting you're hi vis off I would say!!! It all depends on the driver, the working etc etc

Some of us can contact the signaller without having to jump out and use an SPT.

O L Leigh

 

[GB]

Bit barmy H&S in some way, uniform coats don't come with tearaway arms, what if that got snagged?

True, but normal uniform clothing is harder to snag in the first place.

 

[wensley]

Indeed! Better from a safety point of view and rather nice in dodgy weather

 

[tsr]

We already wear uniform coats and are only issued with HV vests. Besides, they must have either press-studs or velcro so that they come apart if snagged by a passing train, and for longevity I'd rather have the press-studs.

O L Leigh

I know that the vests must have a rapid detachment mechanism such as press-studs or velcro, as you mention, but the jackets are not required to have this. This is an interesting anomaly in the regulations concerning the manufacture and use of PPE. I can't see how my GO/RT hi-vis jacket is any less likely to snag on machinery or a train than your vest manufactured to "equal" standards, because both items are worn on the assumption that they a) are of a reasonably good fit and b) are fastened correctly. If you have a uniform involving a specific coat and have to wear a vest, that's your employer's choice, of course, but I would think it would be better to have a hi-vis jacket and do away with the vest in that case, especially as the coat probably doesn't have the velcro or studs.

 

[O L Leigh]

Yes, but I would have to wear the HV coat all the time as it would be too big to pack down into my bag. I can't set off without HV because it is part of a driver's equipment.

O L Leigh

 

[tsr]

Yes, but I would have to wear the HV coat all the time as it would be too big to pack down into my bag. I can't set off without HV because it is part of a driver's equipment.

O L Leigh

A good point. I was actually thinking of the outer layer of your uniform consisting of a hi-vis jacket in place of a standard one, but if you didn't fancy wearing orange every time you put your coat on, I suppose this wouldn't be all that great.

 

[O L Leigh]

Nor would it work in summer when my outer coat stays at home.

O L Leigh

 

[tsr]

Nor would it work in summer when my outer coat stays at home.

O L Leigh

No, of course, but then you could wear a hi-vis vest. I feel I am getting a little sidetracked here.

 

[GearJammer]

Im surprised at the amount of freight drivers that say they keep the high-viz on, with the lack of air-con on most freight engines i would have thought the drivers would take them off asap as from my experiance you can get pretty hot wearing even just a hi-viz vest, i never wear mine unless i absolutely have to in the summer.

(should add mines yellow, not orange)

 

[150222]

Have seen Chiltern drivers wearing them driving 67's (these are Chiltern drivers aren't they? Not DBS) however not usualy on units.

 

[Rugd1022]

Sometimes we keep them on in the cab as the seat backs in our 66s are often encrusted with dirt or grease from fitters overalls, which is nigh on impossible to shift.

 

[FLHH East Anglia]

As soon as i'm in the cab it's straight off with the hv stuff,hate bringing attention to myself,want to blend in with the dank surroundings of our '' wonderful'' 66's.:roll:

 

[michael769]

I would say about 1:4 of the drivers on my morning commute have the Hi-vis on. it is the set's first run though so I guess they are not long out of the depot.

 

[O L Leigh]

And just to undermine the original premise, there aren't actually that many freight drivers who wear their HVs in the cab. The proportion does seem to be higher than for passenger drivers, but its by no means a universal item of driver-wear.

O L Leigh