subject: A Brief Overview Of Ansi [print this page] The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private organization based in Washington, DC. Its a non-profit venture that also has major offices in New York City and other metropolitan areas in the United States. It seeks to promote the adoption of voluntary guidelines that govern personnel, manufacturing, training, management and service all over the United States.
ANSI does not actually develop these standards themselves. Instead, it utilizes the expertise of various governing bodies of multiple industries. The goal is to raise the bar across the nation to meet internationally recognized benchmarks.
One industry where standardization and guarantees of quality are doubly important is in the manufacture of safety equipment. There are thousands of men and women who risk their lives every day doing all sorts of hazardous occupations. They depend on reliable and functional protective clothing in order for them to more efficiently and correctly do their jobs.
An ANSI safety vest is one example of a regulated piece of equipment rated by the institute for specific requirements. The necessary characteristics in the garment were developed by numerous independent associations of workers who are regularly employed in dangerous conditions. They have worked hard in concert to meet the specific challenges that are common in their jobs.
One of their more important functions is as a visual warning sign. Workers who operate in poor weather conditions, low lighting, high speed encounters and other factors that diminish eyesight reliability need an edge to prevent the occurrence of tragic accidents. An accredited ANSI high visibility top would serve this need through various strategies. The use of bright and distinctive colors, reflective material and glow in the dark sections all contribute to turning the wearer into enough of a spectacle that they cant help but be noticed.
Many people depend on an ANSI safety vest in accomplishing their day to day tasks. Construction workers, traffic enforcers, emergency responders, dock workers and many more see it as an indispensible part of their arsenal. Without the ANSI regulating the products functions, there is a risk of the market being flooded by cheap and shoddy versions that can fail the wearer at a crucial juncture.
