FHWA Federal Highway Administration 23 CFR Part 634 / ANSI 207 Public Vest Standard Information

Effective November 24th 2008 - In order to improve highway worker safety, the FHWA Federal Rule states that ANSI Class 1 and NON-ANSI garments are no longer acceptable for all workers who are within the Federal-aid highway right-of-way. They must wear an ANSI Class 2 or Class 3 garment.

Each year more than 100 workers are killed and over 20,000 are injured in the highway and street construction industry. The FHWA believes that this rule will improve visibility of workers within the Federal-aid highway right-of-way, thereby reducing these numbers.

The government regulation FHWA, was written before ANSI Standard 207 (which applies to policemen, fire fighters, and other first responders) was adopted. Thus, at the present time, people wearing a vest which complies with the ANSI 207 standard, but not with the ANSI 107 standard will not be in compliance with the government regulation effective November 24, 2008. It is clear that the regulation will be amended to make ANSI compliant 207 vests satisfy the new regulation. We are working with the industry and the ISEA to speed up the amendment process. We do not know when this amendment process will be completed, but are hopeful that it will occur within a few months.

Please Note: As of today, all of the OccuNomix Public Safety Vests are ANSI 207 compliant; but they do not all meet the FHWA standard. OccuNomix Public Safety Vests LUX-PSP (Police), LUX-PSF (Fire), LUX-PSE (EMS) meet the FHWA standard.

FAQ’s

When did FHWA ANSI Class 2 or Class 3 garment requirement go into effect? November 24, 2008

What is the difference between the ANSI 107 and 207 standards?

The condensed version: The 207 public safety vests are shorter to allow quick access to belts/tools.

Here’s the extended version: The public safety vest standard was created in response to public safety user groups’ demand for a high visibility safety vest that differentiated from ANSI/ISEA 107-2004.The primary concern was a need for flexibility of design that would provide tactical capability not achievable with ANSI 107 garments. Additionally user groups expressed a desire to have a high visibility garment standard intended for law enforcement, fire and emergency responders that would be distinct from ANSI 107, therefore avoiding interchangeability with construction workers vests.

The NEW ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 SUMMARY POINTS:

ANSI 207 is not intended to replace, or be interchangeable with ANSI 107

The new standard suggests many design options, such as breakaway, colored identifiers, loops, pockets, badge holders, mic tabs and ID panels. (These are suggestions and not mandatory to the standard).

The design options are intended to encourage innovative ways to meet end user needs for design functionality, while still offering an effective high visibility safety garment. The design allows for easy access to equipment worn on a belt.

The required amount of background material (450 square inches) is considerably less than the amount required for the 107 standard (775 square inches)

The required amount of retroreflective material is the same for both standards (201 square inches)