Those who have the road as their workplace are vulnerable. Not all road users pay attention to the roadworks ahead and, in the worst case, an accident can occur. Although there are a number of rules governing how to draw attention to roadworks, it is difficult to always completely minimize risks. What we can focus on are the parts we ourselves have control over, but of course we also want road users to adapt more to reduce the risk of accidents," says Per Kärrdin, head of unit at the Swedish Transport Administration Western Region and initiator of the pilot project.The pilot project will run in the spring of 2024 in a contract that has a lot of work in the traffic environment as well as work with several short and varied jobs that require a great focus on safe workplaces.

4light's vision is to improve the visibility and safety of people living and working in vulnerable environments. This is done with the help of backpacks and harnesses with LED implementation, which makes employees visible thanks to flashing lights.New product - perfect for the construction industry
‍NOVAWorker White is 4light's latest launch in the NOVA Worker family. It is a harness designed with a focus on work lighting for, for example, craftsmen, electricians and plumbing specialists who work in confined spaces with poor lighting. The harness has a white LED light implemented over the chest, shoulders and back that is dimmable in four strengths - unlike other harnesses from 4light that have flashed lights in different colors.

Compared to conventional headlamps, NOVA Worker provides a significant improvement. With its ability to spread light over an area of up to 3 meters around the user, it creates a more natural lighting effect similar to daylight. It eliminates the problems of shadow that often accompany traditional headlamps and replaces it with an even, shadow-free illumination that is ideal for working environments where every detail is important.One of the most prominent advantages of the NOVA Worker is its ease of use and practical design. Instead of holding a lamp in the hand, the user can easily wear the light on the body, freeing the hands to perform tasks more efficiently and safely.

The LED lighting in NOVA Worker increases visibility in exposed environments, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. Unlike reflectors, NOVA Worker offers an active light source that makes you always visible," says David Bodin, CEO of 4LIGHT.With white, shadow-free work lighting on the chest, NOVA Worker also replaces the headlamp in many cases and creates a powerful shadow-free light surface around the user. The yellow lighting on the shoulders and back creates warning for both colleagues and the surroundings."We want to contribute to the zero vision that everyone should come home from work. By reducing the risks, we also reduce the number of serious incidents in the workplace," says David Bodin.

Visibility is a safety issue in the winter darkness.David Söderberg Ingelström, manager at NCC's asphalt laboratory, was actually looking for portable LED lighting for his children when he had a bright idea. I started thinking that this is what my technicians need when they are out in the field," he says.Visible without headlightsAnd that was that. The laboratory manager ordered the harnesses. They were recently tested by technicians in connection with a field drill. They were very pleased and felt safer, especially when they walked alongside the drill truck where traffic is heavy. You don't have to wait for a headlight to be seen when you have these harnesses on, as it is with the reflectors, says David Söderberg Ingelström.

"He says that a survey conducted by the trade union Seko shows that 82% worry about working on the road due to a lack of safety. Visibility to colleagues and surrounding traffic is important and in many cases Hi-Vis clothing does not meet the high visibility requirements - a common problem is that a jacket or vest is dirty and therefore less visible. Improper washing and drying of high-visibility clothing can cause it to lose its reflective properties. Most people don't realize this and the jacket or vest then becomes a false sense of security. Our harness can be machine washed provided that the battery and electronic board are removed first.A reflector needs something to shine on it for it to be visible. An LED shines outwards and provides active visibility. The harness that 4LIGHT has developed for those working on the road has a total of 180 centimeters of LED strip. It has a white light on the front, a red light on the back and a yellow light over the shoulders. This allows motorists to see which way the wearer is heading.

Skanska's production manager Jonathan Gillén heard about the new lights from 4LIGHT and bought three for the asphalt team. They have since been tested throughout the season, especially on the nightly assignments and on major roads where traffic is not diverted during paving.

- "Our regular protective equipment is visible and has reflectors everywhere, but people are used to seeing road workers in neon yellow clothes. The light from the LED harnesses makes road users jump. They do not understand what they see and automatically slow down. The light also creates a sense of security among our professional employees," says Jonathan Gillén.

The harnesses are mainly used by the employees who move around the machines and are closest to the traffic. They cost a few thousand dollars more than a traditional high-visibility jacket, but according to Anders Johansson, it's a cheap way to increase safety.

- "I don't know how many vehicles pass me during a shift, it could be thousands. This is an investment in our work environment and safety," he says.