ANSI Vest Requirements
Up until 1999, there were no state or federally mandated safety standards or regulations for safety vests. That year, the American National Standards Institute created a set of voluntary guidelines called the ANSI/ISEA 107-1999 which has since been adapted by federal and state authorities and private industries alike. This standard was updated in 2003 and remains in use today. A large part of the safety standards guideline was the establishment of three separate classes of safety vests, Classes I, II, and III, which are designed for moderate risk work to high risk work.
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Class I
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Class I vests are designed for low-risk environment such as warehouses and low-traffic area like sidewalks and surface streets. Class I vests are required to have 217 inches of fluorescent background material and 155 inches of reflective material, and are designed to cover only the torso.
Class II
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Class II vests are designed to be worn in a moderate-risk environment where an individual requires greater visibility. Applications include school crossings/parking lots, traffic direction and railroads. Class II vests are also good for protection in inclement weather such as rain or snow. The standard for Class II vests is 775 inches of fluorescent background fabric with 201 inches of reflective material. Because of this increased requirement, Class II vest are larger than the typical Class I vest.
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Class III
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Class III vest are designed to provide the highest visibility level for situations such as extreme weather (blizzards, hurricanes etc.) and around traffic that is faster than 50 mph. These vests are usually worn by emergency personnel and traffic crews working on interstate highways. The Class III vest is required to have 1,240 inches of fluorescent background fabric and 310 inches of reflective material. Because of the large amount of material required, Class III vests often resemble a thick shirt with short sleeves rather than a traditional vest.
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