Is Your Hi-Vis Gear Outdated with the Latest MUTCD Update?
How to Make Sure Your Hi-Vis Apparel is MUTCD Compliant for 2024
Guidelines and standards for the latest safety apparel are constantly changing and it can be hard to keep up. Our goal is to keep you as safe as possible. In December 2023, updates were published in the 11th edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This is what state and local highway agencies, public officials, law enforcement agencies, and maintenance personnel use to keep transportation on our roads running efficiently. Those updates changed what garments are currently compliant, which could put you at risk if yours is out-of-date.
What’s MUTCD?
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) sets minimum standards and ensures traffic control devices (TCDs) are uniform across the country. And what are TCDs? Traffic control devices are hugely important because they ensure safer, more efficient transportation for both people and goods.
Imagine if all the traffic signs varied with each state or county you drove through. It would be chaos. TCDs help reduce crashes and the amount of traffic on the roads. MUTCD also ensures that the people who are working in traffic settings are as safe as possible by offering guidelines on what they should be wearing. That’s where we come in.
Kishigo is constantly working to keep people safe every day because when people can be seen, they’re less likely to be injured. And that protection starts with high-visibility apparel.
MUTCD and Hi-Vis Apparel
Section 6C.05 of the MUTCD focuses on the standards for High-Visibility Safety Apparel. Notably, in this section it states:
01. For daytime and nighttime activity, all workers, including emergency responders, within the right of-way who are 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 107–2015 publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear,” or equivalent revisions, except as provided in Paragraph 4 of this Section. A person designated by the employer to be responsible for worker safety shall make the selection of the appropriate class of garment.
04. Emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel within the TTC 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,” or equivalent revisions, and labeled as ANSI 207-2006, in lieu of ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 apparel.
Essentially, the guide is saying that if you work in traffic control zone, you should be wearing high-visibility apparel that meets the Class 2 or 3 ANSI/ISEA 107–2015 or equivalent ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 guidelines. However, emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel have slightly different standards and must meet the ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 guidelines. Later on, it even details the acceptable material and retroreflective colors, all of which are adhered to by Kishigo.
How to Stay Compliant
So, all that said, how do you ensure that your garments are up-to-date? The easiest way to know if your vest needs updating, is to check your vest’s manufacturer’s tag. If it says “ANSI 107-2010” or earlier, it’s time to replace your vest if it’s a Class 2 or 3 garment. If you are in the other groups, you have a bit more time.
Questions? We’re here to help. Contact us here.
