The Safety Portions Of ANSI Class 2 Work Garments    by Ben Pate

in Health / Wellness    (submitted 2011-02-28)

ANSI Class 2 clothing is required protective apparel that must be worn by workers who are in high risk industries. Each different industry requires special clothing, such as one sees worn by a person on a road construction project. ANSI is an abbreviation for the American National Standards Institute which has this type of clothing in three different classes.

These garments are worn by personnel in a wide range of industries. Airport ramp workers, road workers, police and emergency personnel, firefighters, construction workers, and utility workers are all included in this class. These are individuals who are in high-risk occupations and are identified by their reflexive gear that includes outerwear, safety vests, rain wear, shirts, and safety vest. This makes them more visible at night as well as in low-light and daylight conditions.

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.

Knowing that workers wearing these garments are subject to various elements, vigorous testing is conducted before a garment is offered for sale. Such things as how the reflection works after the garment is washed, its resistance to abrasion, folding the garment under cold conditions, resistance to rain and so forth. These are conditions that can be expected under different types of jobs that require 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.

The different classes of this gear depend on the occupation involved. Class 2 vests, for example is required for people who work near heavy equipment or in speed zones where traffic exceeds 25 mph. For people who are working where traffic exceeds 50 miles per hour, class 3 gear is required. Anyone who is working in a dangerous occupation must have every protection possible which includes gear that will let others see where they are.

About the Author

ANSI Class 2 work gear has long been recognized by workers for its life saving features. One never knows what circumstances will develop on the job and on many occasions it has been the reflective safety vests that has saved someone's life. It is a definite protection against life threatening events that often occur in high risk occupations.