![]() Gary Pearson Transportation department employees face the hazards of working in a roadway environment, some of which can be fatal. The threat of being hit by a car is a constant danger. This risk increases at dawn, duck or in inclement weather - when the visibility of these workers is often compromised. Fred Rasmussen, safety
administrator of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
(DOTD) placed a high importance on obtaining high-visibility garments
for his employees. Thanks to his efforts, Louisiana became the first state
DOT in the nation to purchase safety vests that comply with the ANSI/ISEA
107-1999 American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel. According to Rasmussen,
a 3M visibility demonstration allowed him to compare his department's
current vests with the ANSI/ISEA-compliant vests under both low light
and nighttime conditions. For Rasmussen, the importance of 360-degree
visibility was evident. "Our old vests had an eight inch piece of
elastic on each side, so when the worker turned sideways he was no longer
visible," explained Rasmussen. "The ANSI-compliant vest assures
the worker is visible from all angles." The process of adopting
the ANSI/ISEA standard took time, said Rasmussen, noting that he "worked
with a number of different parties to obtain the necessary approvals and
develop new safety vest specifications. My number one priority was to
improve employee visibility and safety. With that comes meeting the national
ANSI standards. Beyond this, there are several other factors that come
into play." Rasmussen considered
comfort and sought out garments that were sized to fit each employee,
as proper fit is essential to reducing machinery hazards. In addition,
those who work in the hot Louisiana sun especially value breathability
and weight of the fabric. Six years ago, Louisiana became the first state
to adopt lime-green safety vests, so vest color was also key. "In a work-zone
setting employees in orange vests blend right in with the cones and equipment,"
Rasmussen said. "A lime-green vest sets the worker apart from his
surroundings." He added that he "wanted the best reflectivity
our money could buy." Rasmussen's employees
are now outfitted in ANSI/ISEA-compliant apparel. But his work is far
from done. While Louisiana was the first state DOT to adopt the ANSI-standard,
Rasmussen expects others to follow in his footsteps. In fact, Louisiana
DOTD has already shared its specifications with other states for both
lime-green color and reflectivity. Rasmussen's next
project is to write specifications for and purchase rainwear that also
meets the ANSI/ISEA standard. Stay tuned. |