You misunderstood I think. They painted our bone domes green and then put the relective tape on them some time later. The reason is not really relevant, matey's L.G. Groves submission is what it was about.

Unless that is of course you think "Toned Down Reflective Tape" is a really good idea and should be pursued as it would save on the use of black masking tape, could be supplied on a range of colours; green, sand, brown, grey; to match the expected environment etc...

YS:D

Seem to remember in the late 70's early 80's we had a roll of RED reflective tape on test. Never did hear the results. White tape was used on helmets when they were white and even on some silver 1A's.

Dayglo Tabards [a la building site workers] are now often used by shoplifters. They assume, often correctly, that if you are in Tescos, obviously looking as if in gainful employment, trousering high value goods such as razor blades, you are much less likely to be apprehended.
Also a kitchen foil lined shopping bag helps them thru' the exit hoops

Fine
 

A military pilot was fined £1000 at Blackpool or Liverpool Airport for not wearing a high-vis vest on the pan.

230 Sqn now carries vests on board the ac for use on land-aways. Although crews don't wear them locally while walking to or from an ac on a sortie, I wouldn't be surprised if orders state that all personnel are to to wear high-vis vests while on the pan.

The spams are dead keen on dayglo Sam Brownes at place's like Al Udied etc

I don't get this. I am happy to accept that vests are a good idea. But that is just it; I am happy to accept it. I DO NOT need other people to decide it for me. If I choose to wear one because I think it necessary, then I will. That is a long way from making it obligatory that I do because someone else tells me that I should.

If I suffer an accident whilst not wearing one then that is my lookout. I do not think that we should be obliged to wear one at someone else's whim. I know that someone will tell me that, in the event of a criminal proceeding I will be taken to task over this but that is where the whole thing falls down. My right to choose not to wear one is just as important.

Reflective tape was on Mk1A's in the late 60's :p

Slightly OT, the green helmet/LSJ was partially as a result of helicopter/fighter trials, where the prime aiming points in the helicopters were the white helmets and white gloves, plus one off-colour blade in the Wessex V gave it away from >5nm ;)

3M introduced coloured relective tape in the early/mid 70's, IIRC, and the red stuff was highly prized to "individualise" one's bone dome :)

Back on topic, HiVis vests are mandatory for aircrew at many Oz airports, just another of those things which appear impossible to change :=

De riguer for Harrier Mates in the 80's to cover the reflective cross with Black Bodge tape.

I also remember a certain exchange Marine with an orange water pistol as a personal weapon ! Oh how times have changed....

Point is an employer has a duty of care to the employee.

H&S is about risk, quite agree.

Who judges the risk?

Your employer (or Unit H&S chap/chapess)

You may not like having to wear a hi-vis vest, but it is not your choice.

If the rules require it then wear one, if they do not, then dont.

If you have an accident (or cause an accident) you will not have a leg to stand on (sorry about the pun)

One of the primary reasons for H&S is to stop people having to think about their own welfare as being human we occasionally forget/make mistakes.

In risk assessment the reliance on a human being for the operation of a safe system of work is always deemed the last choice, with removal of the risk, physical barriers and safer alternatives among others are the preferred routes.

Hate H&S if you must but it wasn't too long ago when Crown Immunity ruled the roost and horrific accidents happened often, with no comeback for those injured through MoD negligence.

What do you do with a vest when you are flying a small aircraft with no stowage?

Used to be that you could spot the important/significant person on the asp cos they were in the vest - now everbody's wearing them you don't know who's in charge.

The black tape on helemts was to prevent reflections off the inside of the canopy I think.

BN
The tabard type vis thing folds up into not very much, it's not your bulky road builders jacket. I've got one lurking in the bottom of a bag somewhere. That said, I agree with those who think that we should decide when/where they are worn. By all means issue them but it would be nice for the grown ups to credit us with a bit of common sense. Might as well issue survival strobes for the pan at night .....:*

I was recently asked by an Islamic reporter why all the British pilots had a crucifix on their helmets! (AKA black tape covering the reflective cross)
Not convinced he believed me....Never would have thought of it myself, but when looked at it through his eyes he had a point.

Glad that no one had red tape on a white helmet as mentioned earlier.

My nice shiny white Mk2 bone dome was converted to a Mk4(?) at Valley in 1978 by painting it green and changing the visor from the handle operated internal variety to an external cloth covered double type. I was led to believe that the colour change was due to the reflection in the canopy of the white helmet in the front seat getting in the eyeline of the instructor in the back seat.

A reflective vest is all you need.....?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...agsurprise.png

And I remember the 'opfor' intruders lying in the long grass on the airfield at night with the RAFP searching for them by the lights if the Landrovers.

Only when there was a near miss was the danger recognised.

But, one asks, are the hi-viz vests cleared for flight? Inflamable? Is there an authorised stowage?

May be there should be a 'dresser' in the groundcrew to dress and undress transient aircrew.:}

All rather irrelevant when at Leuchars if you go to supply to ask for said vest as aircrew the response is "Sorry Sir aircrew aren't scaled for a Hi Vis Vest":ugh:

Why not have Dayglo immersion suits like the Gremans?

Or, Heaven Forbid, Dayglo and reflective flying suits for peacetime.Might help you not getting run over on the way home from the bar.

I suggest you pop back to clothing stores and ask them to show you the 'supplementary safety equipment scales' which are located towards the back of the clothing scales. Items such as hi-viz vests are issued 'as required' and no one is specifically scaled for them as they are issued to task.

Safety equipment is the one item in clothing stores that everyone can make a case for and if you get any grief get your station H&S bod on their case.

What!!!.... How the !!!! do you pose in a Dayglo immersion suit.....What chick factor has that got.....

At least aircrew wouldn't walk around station or Tesco's in one of those, and just think how much the NHS would save, not having to remove flying suits on demob:p

Almost,

I would love for you to come and quote ALSOP'S or what ever the hell they are at me when I get out of my beast!! And I doubt it would make me bow to the Ann*l H&S idiots. Might find a similar thing with most Army guys, they never seem to bow to bluntie pressure. (I will bow to the Civil side as I have absolutely no wish to offend the people who have to work for a living - H&S need something to do):=