Kit built for a moving-traffic environment
Waste and refuse crews spend the whole shift on or near live roads, working around a reversing vehicle and handling bins, sacks and street waste in all weather. Whether it's collection, recycling or street cleansing, visibility and durability aren't extras here. They're the job.
Visibility comes first
Hi-vis to the class your risk assessment sets, with reflective bands that stay visible on early starts and dark winter rounds.
Weather and grime are constant
Waterproof outer layers and hard-wearing trousers have to cope with being wet, dirty and handled all shift, wash after wash.
Comfort matters over a long round
Crews are lifting, walking and climbing on and off the vehicle all day. They need freedom of movement, plus layering options for cold starts through to warm afternoons.
The refuse and waste crew kit list
This is what most waste management operators and council contractors order. Specify the visibility class and any protective footwear against your own risk assessment.
- Hi-vis jackets and vests: class 2 or 3 depending on the road environment and your assessment. See hi-vis workwear.
- Hi-vis polos, sweatshirts and trousers: the everyday layers for the round, in class 2 and 3, so the crew stays visible even with the jacket off on a warm afternoon.
- Waterproof outer layers: breathable jackets and over-trousers for wet rounds. You want a genuine waterproof, not a shower-resistant jacket that gives up by mid-shift. Waterproof ratings explained.
- Work trousers: hard-wearing, with knee-pad pockets where crews are on and off the vehicle all day. See work trousers.
- Coveralls and boiler suits: an alternative to separates for crews who'd rather have one garment for the whole shift. Coveralls vs boiler suits compared.
- Safety footwear: boots with good grip, suited to wet, uneven kerbside and yard conditions, where a slip off a kerb in the dark is a real risk.
- Gloves: grip, plus cut and puncture resistance, for handling bins, bags and street waste that can hide sharp objects. Glove ratings explained.
- Winter and summer layers: thermal layers for early dark starts and breathable options for summer rounds. A round that starts in the dark at the end of autumn can finish in sunshine, so layers the crew can add or take off beat one heavy coat.
- Branded polos and T-shirts: for depot staff, supervisors and customer-facing roles, so the people residents and clients meet away from the vehicle look like part of the same operation.
Most crews end up with a mix: hi-vis separates for the round, a waterproof shell on top for wet days, and a smaller set of branded polos and fleeces for the depot and office.
Getting the hi-vis class right
Hi-vis class isn't something we set for you. It depends on your operating environment: the roads your crews work on, traffic speeds and the time of day the rounds run. That's why the class should come from your own risk assessment.
Tell us whether your assessment calls for class 2 or class 3 and we'll match jackets, vests, polos and trousers to it. If you're not sure what the classes mean, our hi-vis regulations guide explains them in plain English.
Reflective bands matter as much as the background colour on this kind of work. Crews start early and winter rounds run in the dark, so the bands are what drivers actually pick up in their headlights. Keep that in mind when you're adding branding, and keep logos and lettering clear of the tape.
The same goes for footwear and gloves. Protective footwear and the level of cut or puncture resistance should be specified against your assessment, and we'll supply to that rather than guess.
Branding for council contracts and private operators
Whether you're running a council waste contract or a private commercial collection round, a consistently branded crew reads as professional to residents and to the client awarding the contract.
Contract-ready branding
Your logo, any required contract branding, or both, placed consistently across jackets, hi-vis and polos, usually in your council or company colours. Our logo placement guide covers what goes where.
Easy to reorder
Set up a trade account on your first order and you can reorder for new starters or replacement kit without re-quoting from scratch each time. For councils and contractors running several depots, our free Secure Buying Wardrobe lets each depot order approved kit online, with one invoice, so head office isn't chasing paperwork from every site.
Sizes right first time
Free samples let crews check fit before a full order, and our sizing guide helps you get sizes right across the whole team.
