Does anyone here have any experience with using construction attire (hard hats, safety vests) to infiltrate public complexes/structures? I’ve been longing to try it for a while now and would love to hear how it’s worked out for others.

it only works if you look like a construction worker to begin with

A maroon hardhat, safety glasses and a day-glo safety vest plus cell-phone. No clipboard or two-way radio. A white 4WD GMC pickup truck would help too...

I've never tried because, a kid probably wouldn't seem right wearing construction attire, but it does work sometimes. Depending on the company the workers don't even notice or care, but it's probably not safe to rely on that.

There was once an unlabeled white pickup truck parked behind my school and one teacher asked another if any work was supposed to be done. His response was "well it's a white pickup truck so probably." The one who asked was somehow satisfied with that.

The site super knows who should be there as do workers. Part of the site super's job is to sign in guests and brief them.
One of his chief concerns is worker and visitor safety. By not doing this you jeopardize your safety as well the workers.
Strangers especially inspectors attract their attention.
You can try it but you may not like the results... these are rough necks.

I've been at major demos and remodelings by permission/invitation.
Sometimes being straight forward works best.
If they feel you're unsafe or a risk they won't work with you.

Posted by earthlycanvas Does anyone here have any experience with using construction attire (hard hats, safety vests) to infiltrate public complexes/structures? I’ve been longing to try it for a while now and would love to hear how it’s worked out for others.

If this is you, or looks like you, the best most colorful hard hat and safety vest you can buy is not going to make anyone believe you belong there...

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Just because construction workers don't drive their parent's brand new Lexus SUV or wear the latest hip-hop fashions doesn't mean they are stupid. Costumes on the wrong kind of people only fool, the wrong kind of people, maybe passing motorists would see you and dismiss your presence but the workers will not.


Some construction workers are even smarter than "urbexers" yo!

<If this is you, or looks like you, the best most colorful hard hat and safety vest you can buy is not going to make anyone believe you belong there...>

Work boots, pants shirt HH plus vest, yeah. Lotta young guys on construction sites...

I did this recently on one of the biggest construction site right now in canada.
(Champlain Bridge construction in Montréal)

I put my high-vis, steel toe boots, hard hat and working pants.

Passed by workers, head nod him and he head nod back, even passed by some white hats right where i needed to climb up.


Could have not worked, depends on the constructions site i guess.

There was another site i wanted to try and finally i was feeling i wouldve been caught in seconds.

You need to look like you belong there, don't looks all stressed out and sketchy.

Try it, you have one chance on 2 that you suceeed or just get kicked out.

click to view

click to view

Posted by Hawkwind <If this is you, or looks like you, the best most colorful hard hat and safety vest you can buy is not going to make anyone believe you belong there...> Work boots, pants shirt HH plus vest, yeah. Lotta young guys on construction sites...

young has noting to do with it

up to a point

if youre 15 or 16 most construction companies cant/wont hire you and you wont be believable as a civil engineer or bldg. inspector either

but o.p. should follow your advice, just get some work boots, nobody will notice him he will be fine

Posted by 2Xplorations young has noting to do with it up to a point if youre 15 or 16 most construction companies cant/wont hire you and you wont be believable as a civil engineer or bldg. inspector either but o.p. should follow your advice, just get some work boots, nobody will notice him he will be fine

In my case I plan on taking a life raft out to a transmission tower at sea. The only problem is that it's located next to a bridge with passing cars every second. That's where the safety vests and hard hats come in. I only hope to deceive public eye when climbing up the stairs of the tower, and security doesn't exist around the area.

Posted by earthlycanvas In my case I plan on taking a life raft out to a transmission tower at sea. The only problem is that it's located next to a bridge with passing cars every second. That's where the safety vests and hard hats come in. I only hope to deceive public eye when climbing up the stairs of the tower, and security doesn't exist around the area.

So then, youre saying you wont be wearing work boots?

I've never tried the hard hat but have wondered about it too. I've said this before, but my go to for houses is khakis, old boots, and a polo with my camera. Most people think I'm there for the bank or borough to take pictures. If anybody asks I'm there as a historical photographer or am just "really interested in the house/property". Technically not lying in either case so you get some nice range with it. If you're just trying for the location you sated and are trying to deceive the public eye I think you should be fine.

I've had success in this approach with certain types of places. If I find out a place is going to be demo'd I grab my white hard hat and clipboard and survey the site for the POE dressed as such. Places where normally someone would be suspicious of some random dude poking around. My hope is that anyone nearby would assume I was with the demo company making notes on an upcoming job.


On your specific idea I would say one guy solo with a raft is going to look odd either way. It would help a little if you looked like you belong there. Most people aren't going to care either way, especially not enough to make a call. You'll just be shit out of luck either way if someone who works on or knows about that tower sees you.

Posted by Turd Furgusen You'll just be shit out of luck either way if someone who works on or knows about that tower sees you.

you aint lyin this is terrorist watch list stuff right here

critical infrastructure = DHS involvement but I encourage him to go for it and write about it here later with pics of course

Posted by 2Xplorations it only works if you look like a construction worker to begin with

This is exponentially more difficult (in most cases) for females. This is why I've never attempted to "blend in" in this manner.

Posted by earthlycanvas In my case I plan on taking a life raft out to a transmission tower at sea. The only problem is that it's located next to a bridge with passing cars every second. That's where the safety vests and hard hats come in. I only hope to deceive public eye when climbing up the stairs of the tower, and security doesn't exist around the area.

I'm not sure what you mean exactly when you say, "at sea," as in, how far out into the water the place is or how dangerous/dynamic your area's coast would be, but you mentioned a bridge where people could potentially see you when they drive by. This leads me to believe that you would be relatively close to land the whole time (I would not suggest the following otherwise, especially solo on a raft). Would it be possible to safely start this one pre-dawn under the cover of night? That would pretty much take care of your visibility issue. Clearly, I'm assessing the situation as one that you would not be that far from land and that you know what you're doing!




*Edited to combine these two posts*

Posted by ClementRSedona I did this recently on one of the biggest construction site right now in canada. (Champlain Bridge construction in Montréal) I put my high-vis, steel toe boots, hard hat and working pants. Passed by workers, head nod him and he head nod back, even passed by some white hats right where i needed to climb up. Could have not worked, depends on the constructions site i guess. There was another site i wanted to try and finally i was feeling i wouldve been caught in seconds. You need to look like you belong there, don't looks all stressed out and sketchy. Try it, you have one chance on 2 that you suceeed or just get kicked out. click to view click to view

Awesome view! Nice work.

grow a beard, wear dirty jeans, have steel toe boots long sleeve shirt preferably white or orange dirty backpack annnn the most important item, coffee walk in with a coffee mug and say good morning to everyone you cross paths with

We are all eagerly awaiting the story about the transmission tower post-arrest

Posted by RescueMe1060 We are all eagerly awaiting the story about the transmission tower post-arrest

Mission will take place hopefully over the summer, will update as soon as it happens

I've only done this while actually working on job sites. Part of my job is surveying the radio reception in concrete structures to ensure municipal bylaw compliance and/or verify system performance. Airports, hospitals, office towers, arenas, condos, subway tunnels, shopping malls, government buildings, mines, prisons, anything made of concrete or built underground really. I walk around in uniform or full PPE depending on the site with a clipboard and an antenna strapped to my back, usually with a genuinely confused look on my face as I try to make sense of the floor plan in front of me. The keys that I am given by property managers are often full access or nearly full access. Every once in a while I'll accidentally find myself off-track in an area outside of the survey boundary. "Oops, sorry man, just trying to make sense of these old floor plans, can you point me toward the exit?".