Non Hi-Vis or Bright Coloured Equipment

[Jamie Jones]

Out of interest how many of you guys doing council / local government contracts in Grounds Maintenance use Makita Blue kit like Blowers, Strimmers, Hedge Cutters and Chainsaws???

The resign for asking is that I am thinking of buying a Makita (which is a Dolmar) 7900 chainsaw that is a darkish blue colour.

 

I have concerns on a health and safety grounds that it is NOT in a bright hi-vis type of colour. I have come across a case of workers on a council contract using a Blue Makita back pack blower were told that they couldn’t use it by the council H&S officer because it obscured the Hi-Vis jacket, where as a Stihl, Husky or Echo in a bright orange colour is acceptable. In a bright colour it is considered as a control measure.
 

This has now given me concerns about buying grounds maintenance Makita Kit. Which is a shame because the Makita/Dolmar 7900 chainsaw is a cracking bit of kit..

So has any one else had this issue on equipment?

Edited October 16, 2018 by Jamie Jones

[Rough Hewn]

Nothing

[jrose]

If this really is a concern (and it seems a bit excessive, but so be it..) why not just buy some of this hi vis reflective tape in a colour of your choice, stick it all over the blower/chainsaw and make it both more visible and less pinchable in one go?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reflective-Tape-Hi-Vis-fluorescent-Tape-Vinyl-Roll-Self-Adhesive-Metre-Lengths/173274733841?hash=item2857fa9d11:m:m23y6PYXAKyaaGneDGXsO8A:rk:6:pf:0

Edited October 16, 2018 by jrose

[Boggle4137]

15 minutes ago, jrose said:

If this really is a concern (and it seems a bit excessive, but so be it..) why not just buy some of this hi vis reflective tape in a colour of your choice, stick it all over the blower/chainsaw and make it both more visible and less pinchable in one go?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reflective-Tape-Hi-Vis-fluorescent-Tape-Vinyl-Roll-Self-Adhesive-Metre-Lengths/173274733841?hash=item2857fa9d11:m:m23y6PYXAKyaaGneDGXsO8A:rk:6:pf:0

Or dismantle what ever covers or casings and just spray it orange or something close to high vis. I worked with the council once and it shocked me that simple solutions like this would be ignored because a bloke in an office is pissed off that he didn't think of it first. Unfortunately it's a common thing in most councils.

[woody paul]

Just buy a stick on battery powered amber beacon and put it on it 

[Boggle4137]

Soon it will be mandatory for all hi vis workers to Don a helmet with a beacon installed on the top, the way h+s is going.

[Stubby]

24 minutes ago, Boggle4137 said:

Soon it will be mandatory for all hi vis workers to Don a helmet with a beacon installed on the top, the way h+s is going.

Soon you won't be able to see the genuine human targets for the dazzle and bright lights of all HSE claptrap .

[Dan Maynard]

Buy the Dolmar version, it's orange.

[woody paul]

1 hour ago, Dan Maynard said:

Buy the Dolmar version, it's orange.

There's always a bright spark ?

[drinksloe]

Think dan has solved it.

 

I can just about see the point with a back pack blower but as been said spay, tape or tie a viz vest onto it could easy solve it.

 

I can't see how they could claim the saw about a chain saw, its not obstructing any hi viz clothing, atleast u can see the blower is cover most of the hi viz top.

 

The only issue i can see esp with council work is it then becoming a 'trip hazard' as no doubt will spend most of its life sitting on the ground  doing nowt ?