Cranston, RI – Metlon Corporation, the Cranston-based distributor of reflective roll goods, including ANSI/ISEA compliant reflective material, is revved up to respond to the Federal Highway Administration’s mandated standards for high visibility safety apparel, scheduled to take effect November 24, 2008. As one of only three nationally Authorized Distributors of 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material, Metlon stocks nearly every reflective item used in the manufacturing of high-visibility safety apparel including vests, jackets, and t-shirts. They’ve added ten percent to inventory anticipating the crunch, particularly the required Class 2 and Class 3 items.
“Not only do we provide the ANSI/ISEA 107 and 207 certified reflective materials to meet the new standards, we are also uniquely prepared to help those who must provide uniforms, and aren’t sure about how to comply. It can be challenging and confusing,” comments Wayne Etchells, vice president of Metlon Corp. Our website provides answers to FAQs, but we’ve been working with reflective materials for years, and can assist them in ramping up quickly.”
This fall, the National Safety Council’s annual conference and congress will cover this topic, with editorial in its accompanying trade magazine. Related trade publications such as Uniforms Magazine, will include Metlon in their coverage.
The purpose of the new safety regulation is to decrease the likelihood of worker fatalities or injuries caused by motor vehicles, construction vehicles and equipment due to the inability of the operator to easily see the workers and/or public response personnel while working in the right-of-way on Federal-aid highways. The November 24 deadline demands that states and other agencies comply with Federal Rule 23 CFR 634, which calls for ANSI/ISEA compliant traffic vests for emergency responders.
The familiar red-orange and fluorescent yellow films which offer combined performance for safety day and night, in addition to the more traditional reflective silver fabrics and films, are pictured on Metlon’s website (metlon.com).
“The work zone and speed of traffic determine the requirement of ANSI Class 1, 2 or 3. The regulations specify the amount and placement of reflective material on the apparel,” according to Etchells. “In fact, women (or very thin men) may have more difficulty with compliance merely because their uniforms use less material; therefore, there is too little of the background material, which is also required for compliance. As always, there is some controversy surrounding any mandate.”