It is important in certain occupations that the workers wear proper safety apparel. ANSI, or the American National Standards Institute, ensures that high product standards in the United States will correlate with standards that are accepted internationally. This means ANSI safety vests can be used worldwide,but more importantly, they are produced and certified at a level that is approved by the international community.
Class One
There are different classes of vests, depending on the various circumstances. Class One is for those who will be in situations where they will be relatively safe from traffic. If someone works in a warehouse where forklifts and other equipment are used, this reflective apparel is safest. It is also necessary for employees who need to work on sidewalks, for parking attendants and for those who retrieve shopping carts.
ANSI Class Two
In situations where traffic speed will be greater than 25 miles per hour, Class Two is the apparel to be used. The ANSI class II vest is also appropriate for work where weather conditions reduce visibility. Those who wear this class might be police conducting traffic, crossing guards, or airport employees who work on the tarmac.
Class Three
Class Three vests are used when workers must be highly visible. When the weather is at its worst and the traffic can be at speeds of more than 50mph, this apparel is very important. Anyone who is working on road construction, even if they are vehicle operators, should be in these vests. These are also used by those who are EMTs and investigators at accident sites. Classes Two and Three are also used by those whose occupation requires them to be on or near railways.
Reflective
It is required that each of the classes complies with certain standards. Clear visibility is a must and retro-reflective materials are also used. The reflective material must be of a certain width for each type; Class One must be more than one inch, Two more than 1.38 inches, and Class Three is required to be two inches or wider. Depending on the situation, these requirements make quite the difference in levels of visibility.
Colors
Yellow, green, and orange fluorescent colors are used for this type of apparel. The reflective bands are white or gray and are meant to provide a strong contrast. The base materials can be mesh, fabric, or both, and some styles specify a clear contrasting outline.
Styles
The products are available by the class names or they can be given names such as Economy, Incident Command Safety or Public Service. Jackets and t-shirts that follow ANSI guidelines are also available. Some additional options include pockets and zippers on the apparel.
