Viz Reflectives North America has announced the creation of a new, technically advanced, high visibility garment that does what no other ANSI certified safety gear does – automatically emits a bright glow as the wearer moves from light to low light or dark spaces.

 Sold under the brand name Alpha Workwear, the Viz Reflectives N.A. safety vests provide three levels of protection for workers. Like all ANSI certified vests on the market, they use florescent fabrics to stand out in daylight and reflective tape that becomes visible when a light source, like a headlight, shines on it. But Alpha Workwear adds a third level of protection – phosphorescence -- a formulation of pigments that quickly absorbs energy from natural or artificial UV Light and slowly emits that light for up to 8 hours.

“There are four leading causes of death on worksites – called the Fatal Four – and one of those is being struck by a vehicle or equipment which many times occurs when a worker is simply not visible,” said Justin Krook, Owner of Viz Reflectives N.A. and co-developer of the new vests. “As workers move from daylight to inside tunnels, under bridges into dark warehouses, the vests illuminate without the wearer having to turn them on, and without batteries or bulbs. These vests could save hundreds of lives each year.” 

Alpha WorkWear garments are durable and washable. They have been rigorously tested and meet and exceed the international standards for safety wear.

The gear is crucial for workers in any industry that currently wear safety vests –construction, transportation, utility, public works, law enforcement and the military. It is also an important consumer product, for those who run or bike at dusk, or walk dogs at night.

These new vests are now available at a handful of distributors across the country. They list between $18 - $40 per vest, a 20 percent increase over standard vests of similar quality. Some distributors are offering discounts, depending on volume.

“Not only is it devastating when there is a worker injury or death, but there is a tremendous financial impact -- from worker’s compensation and the retraining of other workers, to the impact an accident can have on the reputation of a company. The slight price increase is worth the extra visibility these vests provide,” said Krook.

Krook said a number of large companies are already piloting the vests, including Exxon Mobile, Jacobs, UPS, UCM, Cintas, and Walsh Group.

For more information on Viz Reflectives N.A., visit www.vizreflectivesna.com.