It is pleasing to see this article by Jesse Adams Stein, Bettina Frankham and myself just out with Australian Historical Studies. It is our first scholarly piece from our project investigating hi vis work wear and workers, a multidisciplinary project in history, design and labour studies, and digital media production.
“Safe Bodies, Hot Plastic? Practical Issues in the Introduction of High-Visibility Workwear (Hi-Vis) in Australia, 1960s–80s” looks at the development of hi vis clothing in its early years in Australia. This is a story of how industrial safety concerns and early technology come together to make work safer. We found that rather than simply adopting WHS clothing technology from overseas (this history has been better documented in the UK, for example), Australian workers, employers and public servants were actively engaged in the development of hi vis clothing as a safety potential. Early uses of hi-vis were grounded in practicality, and the state played a crucial role. If you want a copy of the article and don’t have access, let me know.
With thanks to Hannah Forsyth, as archival research assistance and critical reflections were invaluable in the development of this piece. Thanks also extend to the Powerhouse Museum, Transport for NSW, and the NSW State Archives. Telling this story would not have been possible without access to those collections.
More work will follow from this project as we start to interview more workers and producers of hi vis clothing, and further investigate the social and political contexts of the use of hi vis workwear.
Image: 98/2/63-2 Safety vest, part of motorbike postman uniform, plastic / metal, designed by Australia Post, made by Safe Sport, Australia, c. 1975–1984. Powerhouse Museum Collection. Gift of Australia Post, NSW Headquarters, 1998. Photographed alongside 87/1038D Safety vest, plastic, by MSA (Australia) Pty Ltd, Australia, 1987. Powerhouse Museum Collection. Purchased 1987. Photograph by Ryan Hernandez, reproduced with permission.
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