ANSI Class 2 Outfits Assures Security For Laborers
There are different types of apparel that must be worn by workers in various industries, such as road construction crews. This protective gear is mandated by the American National Standards Institute and is divided into three different classes. The ones worn by workers in high risk industries must wear the ANSI Class 2 garments.
This class 2 covers a wide range of workers in dangerous occupations. These would include people, in addition to road workers, such as fire fighters, utility workers, police and emergency personnel and airport ramp workers. This type of reflexive gear includes rainwear, vests, shirts, safety vest and other types of outerwear. It must be visible at night or when visibility is limited during the day time.
The colors required by this kind of gear are quite precise. It must have reflective materials that cover a specific number of square inches and usually includes a jacket, its hood and sleeves. Fluorescent color is in the background although it may not be reflective. The colors most used are yellow with green, orange with red or red fluorescent. Colors must counteract the surroundings and vehicles, at the job site, so that workers are easily identified.
Garments will also include reflective tape that is at least four yards in length and 1.375 inches wide. The wider the reflective tape, however, the shorter it can be. It is also required that solid reflective bands encircle the girth of the torso. These bands must also be separated by two inch spacing with arm bands running around the arms between elbow and shoulder as well as around the cuff of the sleeve.
Vigorous testing regarding the reflectivity of the materials and the garments is conducted. This testing is quite specific with things such as flexibility, reflection after the garment is washed, resistance to rough wear, cold temperature folding and resistance to rain. This testing is in anticipation of any conditions that might occur when a worker is wearing these garments.
In addition, even further testing is done by a third party on the basic material of the garments. If they meet the requirements they are then prepared for packaging with labels, instructions and so forth. Companies that manufacture this safety clothing must provide certification that it has passed all required tests.
This type of gear is divided by class according to what kind of occupation the worker is engaged in. For people who work where traffic exceeds 25 mph or there is heavy machinery involved a class 2 vest would be required. A person engaged in working where there is traffic over 50 miles an hour it would be required to wear a class 3 vest.
Compared to OSHA, ANSI standards are somewhat different but ANSI Class 2 work gear is recognized by workers regarding their safety qualifications. Designed to provide protection against external forces that can sometimes become very dangerous, they meet all the requirements. This safety vests has been found to be especially effective when a worker has been in a dangerous situation and only rescued because of the reflective construction of his or her clothing.
