FieldSafetyTalk
WA DOSH

High-Visibility & Clothing - Washington (DOSH)

This talk follows Washington (WAC) rules · See the federal OSHA version →

Updated 2026-09-30

In this bundle Jobsite Fundamentals & Compliance

Print-ready PDF

Download this talk as a print-ready PDF, available in 4 languages.

Under federal construction rules, a safety vest is tied to specific situations: flaggers, and workers exposed to public traffic at excavations. Washington ties it to something simpler. If your duties put you in close proximity to moving vehicles, you wear high-visibility garments, and in the hours of darkness they must meet Class 2 and be visible all the way around. Washington also sets a minimum dress code for every construction worker, vest or not. This Washington High-Visibility & Clothing Toolbox Talk covers both rules in WAC 296-155-200 and the footwear rule they point to.

Where the boundary of this talk sits#

This talk covers Washington's high-visibility garment rule, its minimum clothing rule, and the footwear rule referenced by it. Struck-by hazards, backing and spotters, flagging, and traffic control plans belong to their own talks. Flagger requirements get their own Washington talk.

The anchor#

Here is the distinction that carries this whole talk: in Washington the vest rule follows the moving vehicle, not the public road — when employees' duties are performed in close proximity to moving vehicles, they must wear a fluorescent yellow-green, orange-red, or red vest, shirt, or jacket in daylight, and during the hours of darkness, which the rule defines as starting half an hour before sunset and ending half an hour after sunrise, at least a Class 2 garment worn as the outer layer with 360-degree visibility — so dusk and dawn already count as darkness, and a vest under a rain jacket or a daytime vest at 6 a.m. in winter does not meet the rule.

Hi-vis in daylight#

WAC 296-155-200(5)(a) says that during daylight hours, when employees' duties are performed in close proximity to moving vehicles, the employer must make sure employees wear a high-visibility safety vest, shirt, or jacket that is fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, or fluorescent red in color, worn as an outer garment.

The rule is written for "moving vehicles," without limiting it to public roads or highway work zones. On a site with haul trucks, delivery trucks, and pickups moving around the work, the practical reading is that the crew working near them is in scope.

Hi-vis in the hours of darkness#

WAC 296-155-200(5)(b) says that during the hours of darkness, when duties are performed in close proximity to moving vehicles, employees must wear, at a minimum, a high-visibility safety vest, shirt, or jacket that is designed according to the Class 2 specifications of ANSI/ISEA 107-1999, is worn as an outer garment, and provides 360 degrees of visibility.

The rule defines hours of darkness as from one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise. That is wider than "night." A crew starting at 6:30 a.m. in December, or finishing at 4:30 p.m. in November, is working in the hours of darkness by this definition. In the Washington winter, that can be a large share of the shift, so crews that work near traffic should plan on Class 2 garments as the default from fall through spring rather than switching back and forth.

A garment meets the Class 2 requirement if it has an ANSI "Class 2" label, or if it has at least 775 square inches of background material and 201 square inches of retroreflective material that encircles the torso for 360-degree visibility. A note to the rule warns that fading and soiling can reduce a garment's high-visibility characteristics. A vest that has gone gray is not doing its job.

Minimum clothing for everyone#

WAC 296-155-200(2) requires the employer to ensure that employees wear, at least:

  • a short-sleeved shirt — one that covers the top of the shoulder and has material extending down the arm;
  • long pants — with legs that extend past the knee when the wearer stands and leave no exposed skin on the lower leg; and
  • shoes that meet WAC 296-155-212.

That rules out tank tops, sleeveless shirts, and shorts on a Washington construction site, whatever the weather.

The same subsection says that where employees are exposed to moving parts of machinery or hazardous work processes, their clothing must fit closely to the body, and dangling neck wear, bracelets, wristwatches, rings, or similar articles must not be worn.

Footwear#

WAC 296-155-212(1) requires substantial footwear, made of leather or other equally firm material, in any occupation with a danger of foot injury from falling or moving objects, burning, scalding, cutting, penetration, or like hazards, with soles and heels that do not create a slipping hazard. Subsection (3) says traditional tennis shoes, canvas-top shoes, thin or soft-soled athletic shoes, open-toed sandals, slippers, dress shoes, or similar shoes must not be worn. Worn-out footwear that no longer protects must not be used.

Hi-vis is part of the PPE rule#

The high-visibility requirement sits inside Washington's general PPE section, so the rest of that section applies to it. WAC 296-155-200(1) requires protective equipment, including protective clothing, wherever a hazard could cause injury, and requires it to be maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition and to be of safe design and construction for the work. Where employees bring their own protective equipment, the employer is still responsible for making sure it is adequate, properly maintained, and sanitary. A vest with a torn shoulder or missing reflective tape does not become acceptable because the worker bought it.

WAC 296-155-200(3) requires the employer to require appropriate PPE in all operations where there is exposure to hazardous conditions. Subsection (4) puts a duty on the worker too: employees must comply with the safety practices, procedures, and PPE requirements that apply to their job site. The vest rule is the employer's to enforce and the worker's to follow.

Who pays#

WAC 296-155-200(6) requires the employer to provide protective equipment at no cost to employees. High-visibility garments are not among the listed exceptions. The employer does not have to pay for everyday clothing such as long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots, or for ordinary weather gear. Nonspecialty safety-toe footwear that can be worn off the job is also excepted. The employer pays for replacement PPE unless the employee lost it or damaged it on purpose.

Washington versus federal#

Federal construction rules require warning garments in specific situations: 29 CFR 1926.651(d) for employees exposed to public vehicular traffic at excavations, and 29 CFR 1926.201(a) for flaggers, through Part 6 of the MUTCD. They set no general minimum clothing rule. Washington requires hi-vis whenever duties are in close proximity to moving vehicles, Class 2 with 360-degree visibility during an extended definition of darkness, and a minimum shirt, long pants, and footwear for all construction employees.

Where the duty sits#

WAC 296-155-200 sets minimum clothing and jewelry limits (2), high-visibility garments in daylight (5)(a) and in darkness (5)(b), and payment (6). WAC 296-155-212 sets footwear. For contrast, federal 29 CFR 1926.651(d) and 1926.201(a).

What can go wrong?#

  • A laborer works next to backing dump trucks in a T-shirt with no vest.
  • The morning crew wears daytime vests at 6:45 a.m. in January, before sunrise.
  • A vest is worn under a rain jacket, hiding it.
  • A worker shows up in shorts and running shoes on a hot day.
  • A ring catches on a rotating shaft.
  • A worker's own vest has no Class 2 label, and nobody checks it before the night shift.

How do we manage this properly?#

  • Near moving vehicles, wear hi-vis — fluorescent, on the outside.
  • In darkness, wear Class 2 with 360° visibility — from half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise.
  • Replace faded or dirty vests.
  • Dress to the minimum — shoulder-covering shirt, long pants, substantial work shoes.
  • Near moving parts — close-fitting clothes, no jewelry or dangling neck wear.

Before you start#

Check whether today's work puts you near moving vehicles, and check what time sunset and sunrise are. Make sure your vest is the right class, clean, and on the outside. If it is faded or torn, ask for a replacement before you start, not after.

Talk it over#

  • Where on this site are we working near moving vehicles today?
  • What time does darkness start this afternoon under the Washington definition?
  • Is anyone's vest faded, torn, or covered by another layer?

The bottom line#

Washington requires high-visibility garments whenever duties are in close proximity to moving vehicles, not only near public traffic. In daylight, a fluorescent vest, shirt, or jacket on the outside. From half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise, at least a Class 2 garment with 360-degree visibility. Every construction worker also wears at least a shoulder-covering shirt, long pants, and substantial footwear, and the employer provides the hi-vis at no cost.

Frequently asked questions about Washington high-visibility rules#

Does Washington require a Class 2 vest at night?

Yes. Under WAC 296-155-200(5)(b), during the hours of darkness, defined as from one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise, employees whose duties are in close proximity to moving vehicles must wear at least an ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 garment as an outer layer with 360-degree visibility.

Download the Washington high-visibility and clothing toolbox talk PDF#

Download this Washington High-Visibility & Clothing Toolbox Talk as a printable PDF in English and Spanish, and review it with the crew before the days get shorter.

Related toolbox talks#

Sources#

Written by FieldSafetyTalk's safety professional — a CSP, ASP, CHST and OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer with 14+ years of international construction safety experience across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects.

Hazards covered

struck byppe
By Mustafa Tok, CSP, ASP, CHST

Related talks