Vest, Humanitarian Worker
General Information
Name: Vest, Humanitarian Worker 1.
Country of Origin: United Nations (UN).
Date of Production: c 2015.
Manufacturer: Yet to be identified.
Product/Style Number: KH 23288.
Colour: United Nations (UN) Blue .
Size: OSFA (One size fits all).
Number Of compartments: Eight.
Volume Capacity: 17.4L.
Weight: 750g.
Windproof: Semi-windproof.
Waterproof: No.
History
The vest is worn by United Nations personnel operating in disaster relief and humanitarian missions and has been seen in use in South America. The vest uses a common field-vest pattern that was adapted for United Nations use, with the embroidered patch being changed depending on the mission or organization using it.
Unlike tactical vests, this vest was designed to act as a mobile desk, carrying a radio, notebooks, paperwork, pens, personal medical items, and other equipment required by humanitarian and field personnel.
The vest was produced in Nepal.
Description
The vest is fabricated from linen-cotton cloth that has faded to a pale United Nations blue colour. The vest has a padded collar and the shoulders are lined with a second layer of linen fabric that extends down the left and right sides, while the back area is lined with white nylon mesh.
The vest closes at the front with a small black plastic zip with a single plastic runner. The sides of the vest are adjusted with three webbing straps fitted with ladderlock buckles, allowing for approximately 11 cm of adjustment.
The top of the left and right shoulders at the front each have a single reflective strip sewn to them, while the rear of the shoulders have two reflective strips. The left side of the vest has a black nylon webbing strip sewn across it, below which is a small flat pocket with an embroidered United Nations logo on the lid. The lid closes with hook-and-loop strips sewn to the sides, while the inside of the pocket has three white elastic loops at the top. The pocket itself is sewn to the vest only at the sides, creating a tunnel behind it.
Below the small pocket are two medium-sized rectangular pouches fitted with a small black plastic zip with a single plastic runner at the front. Both pouches are fabricated from two layers of linen fabric.
On the right side is a black nylon webbing strip with a vertically mounted black nylon ID loop secured with a metal dome at the top. Next to this is a linen radio pouch reinforced internally and at the base externally with black nylon webbing. The radio is retained in the pouch with black elastic shock cord anchored to the top of the pouch and secured over the radio by a black webbing strap fitted with hook-and-loop fastening.
Below the radio pouch and ID strap is a large pouch fabricated from two layers of linen fabric that closes with a small black plastic zip with a single plastic runner.
The rear of the vest has the words “United Nations” applied in large white lettering that appears to have been ironed onto the fabric. Below this is a large flat pocket with zip entry at the top, fitted with a small black plastic zip with a single plastic runner. The left and right ends of the zip are reinforced with strips of black webbing.
The internal side of the vest has large lower flat open-top pockets on both the left and right sides that close with strips of black hook-and-loop fastening.
Examples
Example One
Volume Capacity: 17.4L.
Radio pocket-0.
Small pen pocket- 400mls.
Small pockets- .1.5L each.
Large document pocket- 3L.
Back pocket- 6L.
Internal pockets- 2.5L each.
Object Number: 8760- 900-46101.
1 Note 1: This is just a generic name, as we have yet to find its actual name.
