Tagged with 'non-ansi safety vest'

Most of us know the drill. ANSI-rated garments meet a specific requirement that's been put in place to enhance visibility in hazardous, busy, and often chaotic work environments. But what about the work environments where ANSI Class safety gear actually lowers our visibility?
 
It may sound odd, but it's a totally valid question. Generally speaking, it's the bright colors and mandatory reflectivity of an ANSI Class garment that allows us to be seen. However, in some circumstances we must consider that these qualities are useless from a safety perspective and that Non-ASNI apparel - although considered "less safe" - could be more beneficial to the wearer. It might even save lives.
 
Imagine working in forestry during the prime months of fall when tree's leaves are changing colors and display vibrant hues of yellow and orange. Imagine working road repair on a heavily wooded and curvy 2-lane backroad during the same season. Imagine the lack of color contrast when a firefighter sporting yellow hi-vis gear battles wildfires among a blazing landscape of yellowish-orange flames. In all of these situations - especially during the daylight hours - the reflectivity of ANSI gear becomes somewhat irrelevant and the bright colors may actually work against their original intentions. What was meant to help you stand out from your surroundings is now doing the opposite. This is how Non-ANSI apparel could save your life.
 
By definition and specifications, all ANSI gear requires a specific surface area (usually measured in square inches) of bright colored fabric and a specific surface area of reflective material. Regardless of how much reflective material a garment has, if the material isn't bright yellow or orange, it doesn't meet ANSI standards. This is why you'll see black safety vests with ANSI Class 3 reflectivity levels that are labeled as Non-ANSI. The black material itself fails to meet ANSI requirements.
 
While "black-bottom" ANSI gear has exploded into the market in recent years, it still doesn't offer the level of contrast that a black safety gear might offer in these rare but very real environments mentioned above. So what is one to do?
 
If your job has an ANSI standard, it needs to be adhered to. However, if you're wearing your ANSI 3 vest to improve your visibility in an environment where ANSI 3 is not technically required, you might want to rethink your actions. There are a lot of us who wear garments that carry a higher ANSI rating than our job or task requires, and we do this to improve our own safety. However, we could be unintentionally increasing the risk of accidents or even death without even realizing it. Before you make the decision to throw on your ANSI-rated safety vest, ask yourself if it's the most beneficial protection for the tasks at hand. Could a black, red, or even blue non-ANSI vest improve your ability to be seen by motorists, co-workers or equipment operators? It's something we deserve to consider.
 
 

We all know the drill when it comes to safety vests - they help enhance safety in the workplace by keeping you as visible as possible. There's a wide variety of safety vests, from ANSI 2 to ANSI 3, FR Rated, and even specially designed vests for surveyors, utility worker and the like. They're proven to save lives, and play an integral part in everyday safety on the job. However, ANSI rated safety vests aren't always a requirement and there are many industries where simple, non-ansi safety vests are utilized, both to enhance visibility and provide identification. This is where a product such as the GSS Identification Safety Vest is most useful.
 
Imagine working on a large industrial job site such as that's well lit and indoors, or maybe an outdoor event venue where safety hazards are practically non-existent to employees. There's really no need for high-visibility workwear, but it'd be nice to have a way to identify workers from the public, or to classify certain workers from others based on their job tasks or title. Identification safety vests are perfect for these scenarios, offering a simple & cost-effective solution that make it easy to clarify who's who.
 
Available in multiple colors, the GSS Non-ANSI Identification Vest can be assigned by color to specific groups of workers. For example, on a large industrial site where hundreds of workers may be present, it would be reasonable and effective to assign orange vests to all electricians, blue vests to all plumbers and fitters, red vests to general laborers, etc.. Not only does it simplify and organize the job site, it also makes it easier to locate someone specific in a busy environment. The same is true when used for event venues, emergency response or other situations where large groups of people are present and the ability to identify workers is critical for running a smooth operation. These can also be used to increase profits by making it simple for the public to identify vendors at concerts venues or sporting events.
 
The GSS Non-ANSI Identification vest is lightweight, inexpensive and has several features to increase usability. Made from 100% polyester mesh, it's ideal for warm weather or to be worn over a jacket in colder environments. For improved visibility, 2-inch prismatic reflective striping adorns the lower half of the vest. Both the front and the back of these vests have clear plastic ID holders, making it easy to display identification cards.
 
Communication is also made easy, thanks to the microphone tab located on the chest. Simply clip a mic on it and your radio or smartphone can be used for effective hands-free device. The vest has a large outside pocket that can fit a tablet or clipboard, a inside patch pocket, and is equipped with adjustable side straps for a computable and secure fit.
 
Overall, the Non-ANSI identification Safety Vest by GSS is an effective, flexible and affordable vest that offers unlimited range of use.
 
To see and learn more about this safety vest, check it out here on our website. Feel free to contact us if you're interested in bulk discounts.