An important first step to avoid incidents on construction sites or at work zones is to make sure that workers and visitors are highly visible when working on or walking through the job site.
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If personnel are not easily visible on job sites, they can be exposed to many types of injuries especially when they are near heavy equipment such as excavators, cranes, dozers, and trucks or near road construction work zones.
Safety vests can help warn workers, equipment operators, and drivers that individuals are in the immediate work area. The extra visibility provides valuable time for them to stop or slow operations until people are out of the hazard zone.
There are different types and classes of safety vests available and it is important that every worker have a well-fitting safety vest that meets the requirements for the work environment.
Safety vests are important and should be used by workers to ensure they are visible and protected during activities such as:
OSHA Standard .651(d) Employees exposed to public vehicular traffic shall be provided with, and shall wear, warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflectorized or high-visibility material.
Safety vests should be highly visible during the daytime, when there are low light conditions, or at night.
The safety vest must ensure the worker stands out and is set apart from the background including heavy equipment, machinery, materials, motor vehicles.
OSHA requires employers to refer to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for details on safety vests and other devices used when performing work on or near roads.
The MUTCD may be different depending on what State in which you may be working.
OSHA Standard .201(a) Flaggers. Signaling by flaggers and the use of flaggers, including warning garments worn by flaggers, shall conform to Part 6 of the MUTCD.
Safety Vests are available in different Types and Classes. The ANSI/ISEA 107 Standard contains the rules for the specific classes of safety vests.
Class 1 Safety Vests are made with a minimum amount of high visibility material and usually only acceptable where there may be struck-by hazards away from roadway speeds.
Class 2 Safety Vests are made with an increased amount of high visibility material and is the minimum requirement for a safety vest when working on roads or flagging.
Class 3 Safety Vests provide the highest amount of visibility and must have sleeves with retro-reflective material to help outline the body of the worker.
The type of safety vest required will depend on the type of work being performed, the location, and the lighting conditions.
Certain projects, organizations, and companies will set minimum requirements for the type of safety vest required, regardless of the task being performed.
It is important to maintain your safety vest and ensure it is kept clean and free from damage.
Safety vests should fit properly.
As with any uniform, PPE, or tool, workers must replace safety vests when they are worn out, torn or ripped, faded, cracked, or damaged.
Look for the label on the safety vest to make sure you have the correct Class required for your work environment.
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The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires workers who may be exposed to vehicular traffic hazards to wear safety vests or other high-visibility safety apparel. OSHA guidelines refer to American National Standards Institute standard 107, which was developed and published by the International Safety Equipment Association. Find out why OSHA requires workers in high-risk environments to wear brightly colored garments made with retroreflective materials and learn more about the requirements for warning vests in ANSI/ISEA 107-.
The General Duty Clause of OSHA or OSH Act, 29 U.S.C. §654(a)(1) requires flaggers and other workers exposed to vehicle traffic in construction zones, on excavation sites or on highways to wear high-visibility safety apparel. Bright vests with retroreflective designs can help drivers of motor vehicles or operators of equipment see workers near the path of travel.
One specific OSHA requirement for warning vests is in the construction standard Subpart G, 29 CFR .201 on signaling. This standard states that garments for flaggers must conform to Part 6 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The section on Temporary Traffic Control in the MUTCD states that all workers exposed to traffic, including emergency responders, must wear Class 2 or Class 3 vests and garments.
Another relevant federal standard is the Federal Highway Administration rule for Worker Visibility, 23 CFR Part 634. This rule mandates that all workers exposed to traffic or construction equipment within the right-of-way of a federal-aid highway wear safety vests or other HVSA.
The OSHA construction standard on signaling recommends that flaggers wear red or orange warning garments and specifies that garments worn at night should be made of reflectorized material. This regulation refers to an early ANSI standard, D6.1-1-, that has since been updated.
A OSHA interpretation of the .201 standard refers to the Millennium Edition of the MUTCD, which allows for a wider range of color choices. During the day, flaggers can wear safety vests in orange, yellow or strong yellow-green, or fluorescent versions of these colors. At night, flaggers should wear garments made with retroreflective materials in any of these colors, silver or white. Employers can post an OSHA notice or other signs to remind workers to wear warning vests.
While OSHA does not specify a specific type of garment, fasteners or reflective strip design, the ANSI/ISEA 107 standard covers all of these requirements. Warning vests and other HVSA should be visible from at least 1,000 feet away and have break-away enclosures. Learn more about the classes of warning vests to select the right high-visibility personal protective equipment.
According to ANSI/ISEA 107- there are three classes and three types of safety vests, each with different requirements for background and retroreflective material. The classes of vests are based on risk levels in different working environments.
Class 1 vests are made with the minimum amount of high-visibility material. These warning vests are only suitable for environments in which struck-by hazards travel at 25 miles per hour or less. The first class of vests are ideal for grocery store clerks who retrieve shopping carts, parking service attendants or warehouse workers.
Class 2 is the most common safety vest classification. These vests can increase visibility to a level that is sufficient for roadways with fast traffic during daylight hours. The second class of vests are intended for airport ground crews, crossing guards, law enforcement personnel directing traffic, surveyors and workers in parking facilities or at toll gates.
The third class of safety vests provides the highest level of visibility. These garments have sleeves designed with retroreflective material and are suitable for night work in locations that have high-speed traffic. In order to meet OSHA standards, Class 3 vests should be visible from a distance of at least 1,280 feet.
The version of ANSI/ISEA 107 introduced a new categorical scheme for warning vests. A revision in refined the applications for each type of vest. Learn more about the three types of vests and how these types correspond to vest classes.
Type O equipment consists of Class 1 safety vests designated for off-road usage. These vests must have at least 217 square inches of background material, 155 square inches of retroreflective material and a 1-inch minimum width for retroreflective materials.
Type R, Class 2 vests are designed to increase the visibility of workers on roadways. These vests must have at least 540 square inches in background material in the smallest size or 775 square inches of background material in larger sizes with 201 square inches of retroreflective material.
Type P vests for public safety professionals are available in Class 2 or Class 3 designs. Class 2, Type P vests must have 450 square inches of background material and 201 square inches of retroreflective material. Class 3, Type P vests should have at least 775 square inches of background material and 310 square inches of retroreflective materials.
The Federal Highway Administration estimates a six-month service life for HVSA worn on a daily basis. This PPE can last up to three years with occasional use. For safety, replace any damaged, faded or worn vests and other high-visibility garments.
Warning vests and safety garments should also have a good fit. Vests that are too large could pose a caught-in hazard, while vests that are too tight can be uncomfortable and discourage compliance with safety regulations.
Employers should factor in the classes and types of vests when ordering replacement PPE or setting employee purchase requirements. The ANSI/ISEA 107 standard also provides recommendations for including compliant lettering or logos on HVSA.
Employers should refer to OSHA regulation 29 CFR .651(d) or other relevant standards to determine whether workers need to wear safety vests and the appropriate class and type of safety vest for any application. Order OSHA notices and signs that remind workers to use high-visibility PPE from ComplianceSigns.
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