ISEA Seeking Input For Revision Of High-Visibility Worker Apparel Standard

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The voluntary consensus standard, ANSI/ISEA 107-2010, American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear is currently under revision and is expected to be published as a revised document by the end of 2015.

First published in 1999, this widely accepted standard specifies requirements for apparel and headwear that is capable of visually signaling the user’s presence. The standard is recognized, and compliance with it is mandated by federal, state, and local authorities as well as private industry entities. Now, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires nearly all workers in or near a highway right-of-way to wear garments that comply with the standard.

As part of the development process, standards prepared by ISEA product groups become American National Standards through a consensus process that involves reviewers outside the association. These reviewers submit comments and vote on the approval of the standard. They serve as the final authority in determining whether a standard is submitted to ANSI for acceptance as an American National Standard.

ISEA maintains a list of participants, balanced by interest category, for each standard.

A reviewer may fall into one of four categories:

  • Producer: A manufacturer of the product covered by the standard or components thereof.
  • User: An organization that uses, specifies, or purchases the product covered by the standard.
  • Government: An agency or department that has regulatory authority or other interest in the product. (NOTE: Government agencies that use the product fall under the User category.)
  • General Interest: An organization that has a special interest in the standard due to safety, technical, or other requirements or an individual expert with knowledge in the area(s) covered by the standard, but who neither produces nor uses the products.

Consensus review of the proposed update is expected to begin in April 2015. Facility management professionals who are interested in serving as a consensus panel member for this standard should contact ISEA Director of Member and Technical Services, Cristine Fargo at cfargo@safetyequipment.org for details.