Tagged with 'FHWA'

FHWA Mandates High-visibility Safety Apparel Meeting ISEA Standards for All Workers in Highway Rights-of-Way, Workzones

 

The 2009 revision to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) yesterday, requires workers, including emergency responders, along highway rights-of-way or in workzones to wear high-visibility apparel whenever they are exposed to moving traffic, work vehicles or construction equipment. The apparel must meet Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of ANSI/ISEA 107-2004, the American National Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear. This requirement also applies to firefighters, emergency responders and law enforcement personnel working within the right-of-way. As an option, emergency responders and law enforcement personnel may wear garments that meet the standard for high-visibility public safety vests, ANSI/ISEA 207-2006. A separate section of the MUTCD, which covers specific requirements for flaggers, also requires the use of ANSI/ISEA 107-compliant apparel, and specifies that background material must be fluorescent orange-red, fluorescent yellow-green "or a combination of the two as specified in the ANSI standard."

 

Previously, the FHWA only required workers in federal-aid highway workzones to use these garments.

 

The revised MUTCD states: "All workers, including emergency responders, within the right-of-way who are exposed to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) or to work vehicles and construction equipment within the [Temporary Traffic Control] 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 107-20004 standard performance for Class 2 or 3 risk exposure, except as provided in paragraph 5… Emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel within the [Temporary Traffic Control] 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…"

 

The revised MUTCD takes effect January 15, 2010. Workers on non-federal highways will have to be in compliance with the high-visibility safety apparel requirements by December 31, 2011.

1. The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is dedicated to providing the transportation construction industry and the general public with comprehensive information to improve motorist, worker and pedestrian safety in roadway work zones. Here you'll find videos, social media sources, articles training and tips to keep roadside workers safe.

2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 to carry out safety programs previously administered by the National Highway Safety Bureau. Specifically, the agency directs the highway safety and consumer programs established by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, the Highway Safety Act of 1966, the 1972 Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, and succeeding amendments to these laws. Dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety, NHTSA works daily to help prevent crashes and their attendant costs, both human and financial. The agency strives to exceed the expectations of its customers through its core values of Integrity, Service, and Leadership.





5. Distraction.Gov: Also a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation - heeding America’s call to end the dangerous practice of distracted driving on our nation’s roadways. Distracted driving is a serious, life-threatening practice and we will not rest until we stop it. We are leading the effort but you are the key to preventing distracted driving. The message is simple – Put it down! We will work across the spectrum with private and public entities as well as advocacy groups to tackle distracted driving, and, we will lead by example. We have taken first steps -- The President’s Executive Order has established a new way to approach driving – by putting your device down and paying attention to the task at hand.

Hi Vis Supply is dedicated to educating everyone on the dangers of roadside work, and keeping our hard-working men and women visible to the dangers around them, especially on our Nation's roadways. Visit our site for all of your HiVis needs.

3. January 22, 2018: Overhead and Street Name signs must meet retroreflectivity requirements. If street name signs meet retroreflectivity requirements and are all CAPITAL letters, they may remain in service for the remainder of their useful life. They never have to be changed out only because of the capital letter/mixed case issue.

FHWA estimated the cost for making these retroreflectivity improvements throughout the entire United States to be $37 million dollars over a 10 year period. The reason that this figure is lower than some estimates reported in the media is that the implementation timetable detailed above was designed to roughly coincide with the useful life of existing signs. Thus, it is likely that most of them would have been replaced anyway.

For more information, check out the Sign Retroreflectivity Toolkit.


Fleece Lined Bomber Jacket

Here's a great article by Accuform Signs' Ashley Price, Merchandising Manager and blogger at Notable Regulations.

Imagine showing up to work every day and being faced with the constant danger of speeding, distracted motorists whizzing by only mere feet from you while also being surrounded by a bustle of heavy equipment, materials and machinery. This is “the office” for workers building and improving our American roadways.

This week (April 23-27) is the 13^th annual National Work Zone Awareness Week. Started in 1999, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in coordination with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), sponsor the week-long event that strives to spread awareness of the myriad of dangers in highway work zones. Many states are also now hosting their own Work Zone Awareness events.

This year’s national kick-off event will be hosted by the Missouri Department of Transportation on Route 141 where a relocation project is underway near St. Louis to upgrade the three-lane road to a six-lane freeway. Missouri was chosen because of their level of commitment to work zone awareness. The theme chosen for this year’s awareness week is “Don’t Barrel Through Work Zones! Drive Smart to Arrive Alive”.


In 2010, there were 576 work zone fatalities that resulted from 514 fatal motor vehicle crashes, with 80% being the vehicle operators and passengers and 20% workers, pedestrians and cyclists. On the up-side, those numbers are down and have been decreasing steadily over the years. Work zone fatalities are actually decreasing at a faster rate than overall highway fatalities - proof of the national and state-level commitment to safer roads and programs like the National Work Zone Awareness Week. Let's give our support to continuing to reduce fatalities and injuries on our nation's roadways. Consider participating in awareness week at your place of business and even in your home.

So, as you drive through any of the thousands of work zones across our country today, remember to slow down - for you, for your family, for workers, for the families who could lose a parent, a child, a sibling, a friend. As we here at Accuform Signs say, "Safety is a Family Value".
For more information about the National Work Zone Awareness Week and for more resources visit:

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA)

Work Zone Fatalities Charts Source: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and US DOT Federal Highway Administration

Class 2 T-Shirt with Flat
Stitch Panels


This ANSI Class 2 t-shirt, from ML Kishigo, takes comfort and
contrast to a new level. The flat-stitched contrast panels improve daytime
visibility and significantly improves comfort and coolness over standard
layered contrasting panels. The shirt is constructed from microfiber polyester
material that wicks away moisture - keeping you dry and cool. The shirts also
feature 2" silver reflective material and left chest pocket. Available in both
high visibility Lime and Orange. Sizes M-5XL. ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 compliant.

HiVisSupply is proud to offer high visibility apparel for a variety of job duties
like roadside construction, manufacturing, plant assembly, mining, surveying,
forestry, power generator construction, shipyard construction, warehouse and
facility maintenance, utilities department, sewer maintenance, electrical line
construction, wind energy construction, ethanol and oil refinery and many
others. HiVis Supply offers great savings and product selection for helping you
maintain a safe and OSHA/ANSI compliant work environment. If you're looking for
discounted safety equipment or identification products on sale, visit our web
specials page or sign up for our email promotions.

High-visibility protective garments are required for right-of-way workers, flaggers, and adult crossing guards in a document called the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is the basis for federal and state highway regulations. These garments must be compliant with ANSI/ISEA 107, the American National Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear.

Public safety workers such as law enforcement, firefighters, and other emergency responders have the option of wearing high-visibility vests specifically designed for their use and compliant with the ANSI/ISEA 207, American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests.

A revision to the MUTCD published in December 2009 mandates that public safety vests be labeled as compliant with the 2006 version of the standard, or a subsequent revision. ANSI approved the revision to the standard in 2011, and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) requested an interpretation from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that garments meeting the new standard would be acceptable, pointing out that the requirements of the two standards for daytime and nighttime visibility are essentially the same.

FHWA has agreed, and issued an official interpretation stating that the ANSI/ISEA 207-2011 standard is equivalent to the 2006 version, and that garments labeled as meeting the 2011 standard would be in compliance with the MUTCD requirements.

This article is a re-print from Feb 07, 2012 - Occupational Health and Safety.

PSV Pro 300 Series Police
Vest with Blue Trim

The PSV Pro 300 Series Police vest features a durable mesh material with color
coded fabric trim for proper public service department identification; along
with a high visibility 2" silver reflective material with contrasting background
color. Five point breakaway design; as well as snap up flaps to allow greater
accessibility to toolbelts and gear. Each vest includes two chest mic tabs. The
vest folds into a convenient pouch for storage. The vest also offers 4-season
adjustability to accomodate bulky coats.
Be sure to visit HiVis Supply for all of your hi vis safety vest needs including hi visibility vest for flaggers, hi-vis for incident command and emergency responders.

Recently, the FHWA released a webinar and associated recordings regarding the reduction in work zone fatalities. During this webinar, three States that have experienced reductions in work zone fatalities over the past several years shared their efforts in work zone planning, management, and outreach. Presenters from CA, NC and FL provided examples of how it takes a combination of strategies to make work zones safer and offered suggestions based on their experiences that may help other agencies enhance work zone safety. A recording of the webinar, transcript, and the presentations are now available.

In 2010, there were 576 fatalities in U.S. work zones. We all basically understand that work zones can be hazardous places. People die each and year in work zones. 576 is not just number, but it is a representation of lives lost in work zones. According to data from our Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the 576 fatalities that we experienced in 2010 were a 13.6% decrease from the prior year, when there were 667 fatalities. This continues the trend of decreasing work zone fatalities that has been occurring since 2002: a 10-year downward trend from when fatalities peaked at 1,186 in 2002.

This is the lowest number of work zone fatalities in 30 years – since 1982 – when there were 489 work zone fatalities. This is all very good news; the number of fatalities is certainly moving in the right direction, and there are more lives saved each year. However, there are still 576 lives lost, and we need to continue to work to reduce that loss of life.

ABove shows a pictorial representation of the number of fatalities over the last 15 years or so. You can see it increased for a little while, but since 2002 we've been on a downward trend, with an even greater decrease since 2006. This slide shows a different representation of the same data to show the trend line.



Check out the webinar and other related items here.

The Brilliant Series vests from ML Kishigo provide maximum visibility. In addition to the high visibility background material and the 2" wide VizLite reflective tape with contrasting color, the vest also utilizes Brilliant Trim reflective edging which considerably improves the vest's low light visibility. The reflective piping improves recognition of the wearer by distinguishing their silhouette from the other stationary objects around them. The vest is constructed of a durable and breathable 100% polyester mesh. Vest features include: zipper closure, mic tabs on chest, 2-tier pencil pocket, flapped radio pocket, inside patch pockets, outside cargo pockets with adjustable flaps, and reinforced webbing for added strength. Available in both high visibility Lime or Orange. Sizes M-5XL. ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 compliant.