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TAKING SAFETY OFF ROAD WITH TYPE O CLASS 1 SOLUTIONS

Posted on November 04 2021

TAKING SAFETY OFF ROAD WITH TYPE O CLASS 1 SOLUTIONS

Responding: Brian Nutt, product director of protective apparel, Tingley, Piscataway, NJ.

 

When you’re working on or near a roadway, you need safety clothing that ensures that you are seen by speeding traffic from a long distance away. But what about when you’re doing work away from a roadside that still requires some reflective material? Is it possible to do this job without looking like a highlighter? It turns out the answer is yes.

 

THE NEW ANSI 107

Thanks to an update to ANSI/ISEA 107, a consensus standard for high-visibility safety apparel (HVSA), Tingley has created a new line of Type O apparel, or non-roadway applications for workers in manufacturing, warehousing, forestry, and mining, among others. The clothing uses the Class 1 designation, which is the lowest level of visibility, to determine the amount of background material and reflective tape that is required.

For years, you’ve been told that you need to wear ANSI 107-compliant HVSA just about everywhere you work, but the intent of that standard was focused on people working on or along a roadway. These new products still have some high-visibility material on them, but not the full amount traditionally used for roadway applications.

In the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the 2010 version of ANSI 107 was replaced in February 2016 with the 2015 version, which expands the scope of the standard to include different HVSA types. The types are based on the expected use environments and work activities being performed. There are three performance classes defined from lowest to highest based on the level of hazard exposure.

The MUTCD said that anyone working on or along a roadside must be in ANSI 107 Class 2 or 3 compliant apparel, but that was before the different HVSA types existed. Now with Type O Class 1 in effect, these products are available and are totally acceptable if you work in a non-roadway job application because you’re not being exposed to traffic.

 

AN ICONIC START

Tingley kicked off the Type O Class 1 apparel line with an essential: Its Icon jacket, which is 100% waterproof and constructed from a polyurethane on 300 denier polyester shell for wear and durability. The jacket features inner attachment points to allow you to zip in a liner of equivalent size. The Bomber II jacket features a 210 denier shell with quilted polyester lining.

Also offered are overalls that pair with the Type O Class 1 jacket, a sweatshirt that can zip into the jacket or be worn alone, and snag-resistant t-shirts. Look for additional vest styles in the coming months.

The t-shirt features advanced snag-resistant polyester material and partially segmented Sawtooth reflective tape for additional breathability and reduced heat stress.

These products can get dirty and still be effective in providing visibility on work sites and other areas. And with additional designs such as camouflage, you can wear safety apparel while maintaining some style and individualism.

Features of the products include:

  • Fluorescent yellow-green and black jackets featuring two-tone reflective tape in an X-pattern layout, with a detachable, roll-away hood-in-collar
  • Overhead shoulder design for complete freedom of movement
  • Storm fly front and zipper front closure seals out wind and rain
  • Slash front pockets with closure
  • Left breast radio pocket with flap closure
  • Elasticized self-material cuffs and waist for comfortable fit
  • Dark-colored front helps conceal dirt
  • Stitched and taped seams for 100% waterproof protection

 

NEW LOOK, NEW APPLICATIONS

With the new Class O Type 1 line of HVSA, Tingley is providing workers with apparel for non-roadway applications that provide an acceptable amount of high-visibility material but also look good.

These are items you can wear away from the job site as well. The company had already made inroads into the recreation market with its Workreation line, but the new Class O Type 1 line is ideal for outdoor markets like farms and lawn & garden. Basically, if you’re working in any non-roadway application, the Tingley Class O Type 1 HVSA line is the way to go.

ANSI/ISEA 107

A consensus standard to provide guidelines for the design, performance, specifications, and use of High Visibility Safety Apparel.

  • The 2010 version of the standard was replaced in February 2016 with the 2015 version; it was estimated that it would take up to a year for most manufacturers to convert labeling, most inventories, and marketing materials.
  • The new version expands the scope of ANSI 107 to include different HVSA types. Types are based on the expected use environments and work activities being performed
  • Defines 3 Performance classes lowest to highest, based on the level of hazard exposure
  • Garments must follow guidelines and testing to claim conformance
  • Defines 3 types designated by the work environment in which the wearer is performing a task
  • Defines 3 performance classes lowest to highest, based on the level of hazard exposure
  • All tape must meet the same level of performance 
  • Makes allowance for garments sized to fit smaller workers

 

NEW HIGH-VISIBILITY SAFETY APPAREL TYPES

  • Type O: (“Off-Road”) Occupational HVSA for Non-Roadway Use Environments that pose stuck-by hazards from moving vehicles, equipment and machinery, but will not include expose to traffic on public access highway rights-of-way or roadway temporary traffic control (TTC) zones
  • Type R: (“Roadway”) Occupational HVSA for Roadway Use Environments that include exposure to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) from public access highway rights-of-way, or roadway TTC zones or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a roadway TTC zone
  • Type P: (“Public Safety”) Occupational HVSA for Emergency and Incident Responders and Law Enforcement Personnel Environments that include exposure to traffic from public access highway rights-of-way, or roadway TTC zones, or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a roadway TTC zone or from equipment and vehicles within the activity area
  • Provides additional options for emergency responders, incident responders and law enforcement who have competing hazards or require access to special equipment

 

DIFFERENT CLASSES

  • All classes are defined by the amount of certified high vis material and certified reflective tape.
  • Class 1: (Type O) Minimal performance.
  • Class 2: (Type R or P) Typically a standard vest but can also be any garment that does not have tape on the sleeves.
  • Class 3: (Type R or P) Must have sleeves with tape that fully encircles the sleeves.
  • Class E: Not a performance class. Only intended to be worn with class 2 or class 3 garments.
  • When combined with a class 2 garment, the wearer is now class 3. When worn alone, class E is not a recognized high visibility garment.

 

 THE MUTCD HIGH-VISIBILITY SAFETY APPAREL GUIDELINE

  • The following is the section on High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) in the 2009 edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

 

STANDARD:

  • 04 All workers, including emergency responders, within the right-of-way who are exposed either to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) or to work vehicles and construction equipment within the TTC zone shall wear high-visibility safety apparel that meets the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 107–2004 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear” (see Section 1A.11), or equivalent revisions, and labeled as meeting the ANSI 107-2004 standard performance for Class 2 or 3 risk exposure, except as provided in Paragraph 5. A person designated by the employer to be responsible for worker safety shall make the selection of the appropriate class of garment.

OPTION:

  • 05 Emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel within the TTC zone may wear high-visibility safety apparel that meets the performance requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests” (see Section 1A.11), or equivalent revisions, and labeled as ANSI 207-2006, in lieu of ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 apparel.

STANDARD:

  • 06 When uniformed law enforcement personnel are used to direct traffic, to investigate crashes, or to handle lane closures, obstructed roadways, and disasters, high-visibility safety apparel as described in this Section shall be worn by the law enforcement personnel.
  • 07 Except as provided in Paragraph 8, firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way shall wear high-visibility safety apparel as described in this Section.
OPTION:
  • 08 Firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way and engaged in emergency operations that directly expose them to flame, fire, heat, and/or hazardous materials may wear retroreflective turn-out gear that is specified and regulated by other organizations, such as the National Fire Protection Association.
  • Source: 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part6/part6d.htm)

 

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE MUTCD HIGH-VISIBILITY SAFETY APPAREL GUIDELINES

  • The following are amendments proposed in December 2020 to the HVSA guidelines in the MUTCD.
  • Section 6C.05 High-Visibility Safety Apparel

 

STANDARD:
  • For daytime and nighttime activity, all workers, including emergency responders, within the right-of-way who are exposed either to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) or to work vehicles and construction equipment within the TTC zone shall wear high-visibility safety apparel that meets the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 107–2015 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear” (see Section 1A.05), or equivalent revisions, except as provided in Paragraph 4. A person designated by the employer to be responsible for worker safety shall make the selection of the appropriate class of garment.
  • The apparel background (outer) material color shall be fluorescent orange-red, fluorescent yellow green, or a combination of the two as defined in the ANSI standard. The retroreflective material shall be orange, yellow, white, silver, yellow-green, or a fluorescent version of these colors.
  • When uniformed law enforcement personnel are used to direct traffic, to investigate crashes, or to handle lane closures, obstructed roadways, and disasters, high-visibility safety apparel as described in this Section shall be worn by the law enforcement personnel.

 

OPTION:

  • Emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel within the TTC zone may wear high visibility safety apparel that meets the performance requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests” (see Section 1A.05), or equivalent revisions, and labeled as ANSI 207-2006, in lieu of ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 apparel.

 

STANDARD:

  • Except as provided in Paragraph 6, firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way shall wear high-visibility safety apparel as described in this Section.

 

OPTION:

  • Notice of Proposed Amendments – Part 6 Page 480 of 697 December 2020
  • Firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way and engaged in emergency operations that directly expose them to flame, fire, heat, and/or hazardous materials may wear retroreflective turn-out gear that is specified and regulated by other organizations, such as the National Fire Protection Association.

 

GUIDANCE:
  • For flagger wear during nighttime activity, high-visibility safety apparel that meets the Performance Class 3 requirements of the ANSI/ISEA 107–2015 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Apparel and Headwear” (see Section 1A.05), or equivalent revision, and labeled as meeting the ANSI 107-2015 standard performance for Class 3 risk exposure should be worn.

This article was originally published by BLR’s Insight Report, developed by Tingley in partnership with BLR’s EHS Daily Advisor editorial team.