Federal mandate requires vests on highways for ambulance crews, police, and media.
High-visibility safety apparel will be required of media, ambulance crew, and policy responders for highway related incidents. EMS Network points out:
A federal mandate will require ambulance crews, firefighters, police and media who respond to vehicle accidents and other incidents to wear safety vests on most area highways.
The regulation takes effect Nov. 24 for federal-aid highways — roads that receive federal funds for construction and maintenance. More than 1,750 miles of federal-aid highways are in the six-county PennDOT District 9.
More than 100 workers are killed each year and an additional 20,000 workers injured in the highway and street construction industry, the federal government says. More than 50 firefighters were killed by vehicles at accident scenes from 1996 to 2006.
Responders have to wear high-visibility safety apparel such as a reflective vest that can be seen from all sides. Current firefighter coats and pants, which have reflective tape on them, don’t meet the mandate.
Some area responders already are wearing the vests ahead of the November deadline.
This seems like a fantastic development. With 100 workers killed and 20,000 injured, this seems like a huge step in the right direction for the health and safety of these individuals.