Reflective Tape - How Ansi 207 Saves Lives

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) creates standards for safety equipment and apparel that are utilizes in a wide variety of professions throughout the Unites States. Standards are designated by different numbers, much like OSHA codes and ISO certification. The ANSI 207 and its older counterpart, 107, designate flexible requirements for safety vests that utilize reflective tape.

ANSI 107 was developed first and was meant specifically for highway workers due to the numerous injuries and deaths of construction workers that occurred along federal highways. A newer ANSI rule was developed, ANSI 207, which extended the regulations to include other professions in industries that were similar to the visibility issues construction workers faced or just other professions that had just as hazardous conditions. Law enforcement and fire rescue professions were added, among many others. ANSI 207 also allowed for a more flexible design which would work with the needs of these varied professions.

The Background Material ANSI 107 created the first standard, which only required 217 inches of fluorescent backing materials for vests using reflective tape for hi visibility clothing. Later, when ANSI 207 was developed, it increased the minimum number of square inches to 450.

Retroreflective Materials In order to be covered by ANSI 207, safety vests have to contain no less than 201 square inches of high visibility reflective tape with retroreflective properties (or a combined-performance material equivalent). In terms of attaching the reflective material or how the reflective material should be designed, the ANSI regulation does not provide any guidelines. Since there are no rules regarding these areas, reflective tape can be applied in any way- be it using sew on reflective tape or by using a heat melt adhesive. The only rules or designations that ANSI provides are a minimum width that the reflective tape must meet as well as a minimum quantity.

Reflective Trim - When reflective tape and trim is placed on a hi visibility vest meeting ANSI 207 guidelines, that tape must be at least two inches wide. This effectively doubles the width of the tape requirement from ANSI 107, where a minimum of 1 inch wide reflective tape was necessary to meet regulatory standards.

Quantity of Tape ANSI 207 standards require a minimum of 2.8 yards of reflective tape material on safety vests. Manufacturers can use logos, reflective tape, trim, lettering or other means to meet this guideline. ANSI 107, which came before ANSI 207 had only required performance class 1 to have 2.25 yards of reflective material. Minimum standards can easily be met by having a good layout and design, as well as utilizing combined performance material.

Photometric Performance Hi visibility garments must use reflective tape that demonstrates a level 2 photometric performance, according to both ANSI 207 and ANSI 107 guidelines. Photometric testing is done to determine how much wear and tear the reflective material can handle and still maintain its original reflective qualities. The rating is assigned after the garments go through several tests that simulate thorough washing and use.