The need to be seen is vital to the safety of workers. This is very true for workers who operate around equipment or who work on roadways. Vehicle operations are alerted by workers who wear high-visibility clothing. This is especially important when working in an area with low lighting.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an interpretation statement back in 2009 regarding high-visibility clothing:
“Road and construction traffic poses an obvious and well-recognized hazard to highway/road construction work zone employees. OSHA standards require such employees to wear high-visibility garments in two specific circumstances: when they work as flaggers (29 CFR 1926.201(1)) and when they are exposed to public vehicular traffic in the vicinity of excavations (29 CFR 1926.651(d)). However, other construction workers in highway/road construction work zones are also exposed to the danger of being struck by the vehicles operating near them. For such workers, section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, 29 U.S.C. _654(a)(1), also known as the General Duty Clause, requires similar protection (…employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees…).”
Professions That Wear Class 2 Safety Apparel
The professions that wear Class 2 safety apparel, which is labeled as Type P, include:
- Law enforcement personnel
- Emergency response personnel
- Firefighting personnel
- Road closure personnel
- Accident site investigators
OSHA describes Type P apparel as:
“Provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel in occupational environments which 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 or from equipment and vehicles within the activity area.”
Why Class 2 Safety Apparel is Used
Class 2 safety apparel is used because it provides emergency responders and public workers with protection that other apparel does not offer. Class 2 apparel is the lowest level of protection workers on the highway are permitted to wear. This apparel helps to show the definition of the human body so drivers are able to pinpoint when a person is on the roadway in front of them.
How to Choose Class 2 Safety Apparel
The ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 recommends the following when choosing Class 2 safety apparel:
1. Designs of the clothing that meets the functionality, durability, comfort, and other work hazards.
2. Clothing that meets combined-performance retro-reflective materials.
3. Clothing that needs to meet requirements for physical and photometric performance for a retroreflective material.
4. Clothing that features the proper labels for the safety class and type.
Contact JVS Custom Sportswear to Place Your Class 2 Safety Apparel Order Today
If your organization is in need of new Class 2 safety apparel, look no further than JVS Custom Sportswear in Cinnaminson. We service all of our South Jersey, including Moorestown, Burlington Township, Camden, Gloucester, Hammonton, and many other locations. Contact us today at 856-829-3958 or 609-280-4896 to place your Class 2 safety apparel order today. We work with emergency services departments, public works departments, sewer departments, municipalities, construction companies, and many other businesses.
