‘That’ Hi Vis post – The Rebranding Safety Show

Overview

At the heart of the debate lies a broader issue. How safety is communicated, enforced, and understood on the ground. This also includes how power dynamics, gendered language, and outdated attitudes still shape many interactions between safety professionals and workers.

This is more than a cut high-vis jacket. It’s about the culture of safety and how we treat people, especially when they break the rules. It’s time to stop reinforcing the old brand of safety rooted in compliance and humiliation. Start building one on curiosity, collaboration, and human decency.

‘That’ Hi Vis post – The Rebranding Safety Show

A safety consultant posted on LinkedIn about a site visit where he encountered a worker who had cut his high-vis jacket. In response, the consultant joked: “Why are you wearing a health and safety bra?” The worker was puzzled. The post ended with the consultant stating he hoped the worker felt “silly” and would learn from the experience.

The intention? Humour, perhaps. The outcome?  It is a divisive thread, with some defending the consultant’s approach and many others, including respected voices in safety, deeply troubled by it.

Why This Post Hit a Nerve

There are several layers of this frustration:

• Condescension Over Curiosity – Instead of asking why the worker modified their PPE, the consultant chose to mock and shame.
• Gendered Language – Associating the alteration with a “bra” and implying that it’s something to be embarrassed by reinforces harmful gender stereotypes, suggesting femininity is something to ridicule.
• Reinforcing the Old Brand of Safety – The consultant proudly shared the exchange, reinforcing a culture where safety becomes about policing rather than understanding.
• Lost Learning Opportunity – No one asked the worker why the jacket was cut. Was it uncomfortable? Unsafe? Ineffective? An opportunity to improve equipment or safety culture was lost in favour of scoring points.

The Role of Echo Chambers and Thought Leadership

Despite a few voices of dissent, many safety professionals in the comment thread praised the post. This exposed a painful truth: while many of us live in an “echo chamber” of progressive safety thinking, the reality on site often hasn’t changed.

There’s a disconnect between academia, thought leaders, and day-to-day practice. The consultant in question, a chartered member of prominent safety bodies, is highly regarded, and that influence carries significant weight. When senior professionals publicly mock workers, it sends a clear (and troubling) message to younger or aspiring safety professionals.

The Need for Empathy and Context — For Everyone

Ironically, many of us are quick to ask leaders to show empathy for frontline workers, but fail to extend that same empathy to leaders when they fall short. Yes, the consultant’s approach was flawed. But we also need to ask: what pressures, frustrations, or cultural norms shaped his response?

We must apply the same level of curiosity that we expect from others. Not to excuse, but to understand and improve. Judgment without context, in either direction, is a dead end.

Humour Has a Place, But Only If It Punches Up

Humour can be an effective tool in safety communication. The Northern Ireland branch of the HSA has released brilliant, adult-appropriate, comedic safety videos that educate without humiliating. That’s humour done right.

The key difference? They punch up, not down. The consultant’s post wasn’t banter. It was a power play, using humour to ridicule someone with less authority.

The Bigger Problem: A Flawed System

This incident is part of a larger issue. In many workplaces, PPE remains the go-to solution, while higher-level risk controls, such as segregation, are often overlooked. Safety professionals focus on compliance, but often fail to question whether the systems and processes they defend are effective.

Risk assessments are rushed. Workers adapt equipment out of necessity. And yet, blame flows in only one direction, downward.

We need a safety culture that manages risk, not just rules. One that encourages dialogue, not discipline. One that treats people with dignity, not disdain.

How Do We Fix This?

1. Treat People with Respect – This should be non-negotiable. Humiliation is not a teaching tool.
2. Ask Questions – Replace snap judgments with curiosity. Ask “Why?” before “How dare you?”
3. Use Influence Wisely – Senior professionals should lead by example, especially in public forums.
4. Challenge the System – If PPE is failing, why is it the worker’s fault? Shouldn’t we fix the system that put them in that position?
5. Add Real Value – If we want safety roles to be valued, we must align our work with the business goals and the needs of its people.

Closing Thoughts

Safety doesn’t have to be a thankless task. But if we’re stuck enforcing ineffective rules, focused on compliance over impact, and using shame instead of support. Then, of course, it feels thankless.

As Alisa Lynch said, we must interrogate what we do. Are we helping people? Are we adding value? Are we part of the problem or the solution?

Let’s rebuild the brand of safety. Let it stand not for punishment and paperwork, but for problem-solving, partnership, and progress.