The above photo shows a One World Trade Center electrician, Victor Rosario, taking his lunch break while overlooking the 9/11 Memorial from the 35th floor.
One World Trade Center, the monolith being built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks, claimed the title of New York City's tallest skyscraper on Monday, as workers erected steel columns that made its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, just enough to peek over the roof of the observation deck on the Empire State Building.
"This project is much more than steel and concrete. It is a symbol of success for the nation," said David Samson, chairman of the Port Authority, the agency that owns the World Trade Center.
The milestone is only a preliminary one. Workers are still adding floors to the building once called the Freedom Tower. It isn't expected to reach its full height for at least another year, at which point it is likely to be declared the tallest building in the U.S., and third tallest in the world.
Excluding its antenna, the Empire State Building's total height to 1,250 feet. That was still high enough to make the skyscraper the world's tallest from 1931 until 1972.
One World Trade Center would still be smaller than the Willis Tower in Chicago, formerly known as the Sears Tower, which tops out at 1,451 feet (not including its antennas).
As for the world's tallest building, the undisputed champion is the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, which opened in 2010 and reaches 2,717 feet, Not counting about 5 feet of aircraft lights and other equipment perched on top, of course.
HiVis Supply salutes the men and women who have worked tirelessly to rebuild New York City's One World Trade Center, along with the hopes and dreams of the people who lived through - and lost - loved ones in the tragedy that was 9/11.
These ANSI Class 3 economy series t-shirts, from ML Kishigo,
feature Ultra-Cool microfiber polyester material with 2" wide silver reflective
stripes and (1) left breast pocket. The microfiber polyester material wicks away
moisture - helping to keep you both dry and cool. Available in both high
visibility Lime or Orange; M-5XL. ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 3 compliant.
Here's a great article by Accuform Signs' Ashley Price, Merchandising Manager and blogger at Notable Regulations. You can email her with any questions regarding this or past blog posts.
Imagine showing up to work every day and being faced with the constant danger of speeding, distracted motorists whizzing by only mere feet from you while also being surrounded by a bustle of heavy equipment, materials and machinery. This is “the office” for workers building and improving our American roadways.
This year’s national kick-off event will be hosted by the Missouri Department of Transportation on Route 141 where a relocation project is underway near St. Louis to upgrade the three-lane road to a six-lane freeway. Missouri was chosen because of their level of commitment to work zone awareness. The theme chosen for this year’s awareness week is “Don’t Barrel Through Work Zones! Drive Smart to Arrive Alive”.
In 2010, there were 576 work zone fatalities that resulted from 514 fatal motor vehicle crashes, with 80% being the vehicle operators and passengers and 20% workers, pedestrians and cyclists. On the up-side, those numbers are down and have been decreasing steadily over the years. Work zone fatalities are actually decreasing at a faster rate than overall highway fatalities - proof of the national and state-level commitment to safer roads and programs like the National Work Zone Awareness Week. Let's give our support to continuing to reduce fatalities and injuries on our nation's roadways. Consider participating in awareness week at your place of business and even in your home.
So, as you drive through any of the thousands of work zones across our country today, remember to slow down - for you, for your family, for workers, for the families who could lose a parent, a child, a sibling, a friend. As we here at Accuform Signs say, "Safety is a Family Value". For more information about the National Work Zone Awareness Week and for more resources visit:
For information on national regulations and policies governing work zone safety, visit: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/policy.htm Work Zone Fatalities Charts Source: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and US DOT Federal Highway Administration
Class 2 T-Shirt with Flat
Stitch Panels
This ANSI Class 2 t-shirt, from ML Kishigo, takes comfort and
contrast to a new level. The flat-stitched contrast panels improve daytime
visibility and significantly improves comfort and coolness over standard
layered contrasting panels. The shirt is constructed from microfiber polyester
material that wicks away moisture - keeping you dry and cool. The shirts also
feature 2" silver reflective material and left chest pocket. Available in both
high visibility Lime and Orange. Sizes M-5XL. ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 compliant.
HiVisSupply is proud to offer high visibility apparel for a variety of job duties
like roadside construction, manufacturing, plant assembly, mining, surveying,
forestry, power generator construction, shipyard construction, warehouse and
facility maintenance, utilities department, sewer maintenance, electrical line
construction, wind energy construction, ethanol and oil refinery and many
others. HiVis Supply offers great savings and product selection for helping you
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Distracted driving is a huge topic right now, and has surpassed drunk driving as the number one topic of conversation about driving and the road. It does not discriminate; old or young, male or female, distracted driving affects us all.
But what exactly is distracted driving? Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:
Texting
Using a cell phone or smartphone
Eating and drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading, including maps
Using a navigation system
Watching a video
Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.
The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses, not only to drivers, but also to roadside construction crews, emergency personnel, law enforcement officers, surveyors and more.
On this page, you'll find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don't already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. And, as with everything on Distraction.gov, please share these facts with others. Together, we can help save lives.
Key Facts and Statistics
In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction, and an estimated 448,000 were injured. (NHTSA)
16% of fatal crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA)
20% of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA)
In the month of June 2011, more than 196 billion text messages were sent or received in the US, up nearly 50% from June 2009. (CTIA)
Teen drivers are more likely than other age groups to be involved in a fatal crash where distraction is reported. In 2009, 16% of teen drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted. (NHTSA)
40% of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger. (Pew)
Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Monash University)
Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. (VTTI)Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind. (VTTI)
Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. (VTTI)
Using a cell phone while driving - whether it's hand-held or hands-free delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%. (Carnegie Mellon)
The Black Series t-shirt from ML Kishigo is constructed from microfiber polyester material which wicks away moisture, keeping you dry and cool. The shirt also utilizes a 2" silver, breathable reflective tape that significantly reduces "hot spots" and provides greater flexibility over solid tapes. The black sides provide contrast and add a sporty look. Available in both high visibility Lime and Orange. ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 Compliant.
The US Department of Labor (DOL) has produced a series of prevention videos regarding safety in industry and on the jobsite. To see the series, go here.
In the U.S., more than 800 construction workers die every year while on the job. Being struck by vehicles, heavy equipment, and other objects is the top cause of injuries and the second cause of death for construction workers, killing more than 150 workers in 2009. But these injuries and deaths can be prevented.
Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace and required protective equipment. You'll see that taking the right protective steps saves lives.
All scenes are based on true stories. A surveyor was spray painting the ground to outline the area for a new building pad. At the same time, the driver of a wheel tractor scraper was moving forward to get the ground ready for pad construction. There was no spotter at the site, and there was no internal traffic control plan in place. Before backing up to go over the ground again, the driver checked his rearview and side mirrors. He didn't see anyone in his mirrors, so he up. The driver's back-up alarm didn't work, so the surveyor did not hear the scraper coming towards her. As the driver backed up, he ran over the surveyor. She died from the injuries.
Let's look at the events leading up to this tragic incident, and see how it could have been prevented. When a vehicle on a construction site has an obstructed view to the rear OSHA's standard requires employers to provide that vehicle with a working back-up alarm, or a spotter on site to tell the driver when it is safe to back up. Now let's see what happens when protective measures are in place. Although there is now a working back-up alarm, it is barely audible over the background noise, so as an added safety measure there is also a spotter on site wearing a reflective vest. There is also an internal traffic control plan in place. This plan helps protect workers because it tells the drivers of moving vehicles and equipment the safest way to move around the work site. So this time, before backing up, the scraper's driver waits for the spotter's signal so he knows the area is clear to enter. Now as the driver reverses, the back-up alarm can be heard and no workers are near the scraper.
This example shows the importance of employers following OSHA's vehicle safety standards for construction sites to ensure that workers are provided with a safe workplace.
These types of construction worker deaths are preventable.
The protection measures shown here save workers' lives. Please follow OSHA's safety standards at worksites: it could be the difference between life and death. If you would like more information, contact OSHA at www.osha.gov or 1-800-321-OSHA.
The Professional Surveyors vest, from ML Kishigo, is designed to
exceed the demanding needs of a highly functional surveyors vest. It is
constructed with a solid polyester front /Ultra-Cool mesh back; and features a
2" 3M Scotchlite reflective material laminated to 3" contrasting color –
increasing daytime visibility. Other features of the vest include: left and
right mic holders; zipper front closure; two lapel grommets; reinforced webbing
at high stress points; and a plush neck liner for comfort. The pockets of this
surveyors vest include: left chest 2-tier pocket with dual function flap that
can be held open by Velcro; large right gusseted pocket; outside lower pockets
with flaps; left and right stake pockets; left and right elastic spray can
pockets; lower inside left and right full length zipper pockets with load
bearing straps; and a hidden back pouch with left and right zipper access.
Available in high visibility Lime and Orange; sizes M-5XL. Choose from both
ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 compliant and ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 compliant vests.
HiVis Supply is a reseller of high visibility
apparel including hivis vests, ANSI Class 2 and ANSI Class 3 for a variety of
job duties like construction, shipyard construction, and warehouse and facility maintenance.
Did you know that an "aging population" is taking over the U. S. roadways? Check out these statistics:
A person 65 years-old needs 4X the amount of light to see at night compared to a 25 year-old.
By 2025, The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety projects that 1 out of 4 drivers will be 65 or older.
The larger the sign, and increased retroreflectivity, allows for quicker decision-making for older drivers and faster response times by emergency personnel, allowing them to more easily read and understand signs thus reducing travel times to emergency situations.
More than 50 percent of traffic accidents resulting in fatalities occur at night. Increased retroreflectivity helps to address this issue.
Street Signs
There are no requirements to replace “perfectly good signs” with new signs because of the mixed case standard. The requirements for mixed case letters in street signs generally apply when signs are replaced because of normal wear and tear. Thus, there is no added cost associated with this requirement.
Many media reports are factually incorrect when they state that signs must be replaced by January 2012. The only requirement for this date is that roadway owners have a sign management plan in place.
In 2000, the MUTCD established recommendations for minimum letter heights on street name signs. The MUTCD recommends 6” initial letter height for roads with speed limits of 40 mph or less with an option of 4” initial letter height for streets with speed limit 25 mph or less. Agencies need to evaluate and decide by January 2012 whether or not to use the recommended letter height or use an engineering study or engineering judgment to decide that a smaller letter height is acceptable.
In 2003, the MUTCD added a recommendation for letter heights of street name signs on multilane roads with speed limits greater than 40 mph. The MUTCD recommends 8” initial letter heights for post mounted and 12” letter height for overhead street name signs. Agencies need to evaluate and decide by December 2018 whether or not to use the recommended letter height or use an engineering study or engineering judgment to decide that a smaller letter height is acceptable.
The Brilliant Series vests from ML Kishigo provide maximum visibility with a high visibility background material and 2" wide VizLite reflective tape with contrasting color, making it ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 compliant. This vest also utilizes Brilliant Trim reflective edging which considerably improves the vest's low light visibility. The reflective piping improves recognition of the wearer by distinguishing their silhouette from the other stationary objects around them. The vest is constructed of a durable and breathable 100% polyester mesh. Vest features include: zipper closure, mic tabs on chest, 2-tier pencil pocket, flapped radio pocket, inside patch pockets, outside cargo pockets with adjustable flaps, and reinforced webbing for added strength. Available in both high visibility Lime or Orange. Sizes M-5XL.
HiVis
Supply is a reseller of high visibility apparel including hivis vests, ANSI Class 2 and ANSI Class 3 for a variety of job duties like
mining, surveying, forestry and power generator construction.
Deadlines were established in 2007 to implement minimum levels of retroreflectivity for signage per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity
1. January 22, 2012: By this date, roadway owners must adopt a plan to ensure that their signs meet Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity by the dates cited below. The FHWA lists 5 options, among which are simple visual inspection and blanket replacement of groups of signs at the end of their “useful life” as stated by the manufacturer.
2. January 22, 2015: Regulatory and Warning Signs and Post-Mounted Signs must meet retroreflectivity requirements.
3. January 22, 2018: Overhead and Street Name signs must meet retroreflectivity requirements. If street name signs meet retroreflectivity requirements and are all CAPITAL letters, they may remain in service for the remainder of their useful life. They never have to be changed out only because of the capital letter/mixed case issue.
FHWA estimated the cost for making these retroreflectivity improvements throughout the entire United States to be $37 million dollars over a 10 year period. The reason that this figure is lower than some estimates reported in the media is that the implementation timetable detailed above was designed to roughly coincide with the useful life of existing signs. Thus, it is likely that most of them would have been replaced anyway.
The fleece lined bomber jacket from ML Kishigo is ANSI/ISEA Class 3 compliant, and features a durable, waterproof shell with a fleece liner and fleece lined hood. In addition to the high visibility color material, the jacket also utilizes black material in the areas which most commonly get dirty - helping the jacket maintain a bright and clean appearance. The fleece lined hood is both removable and can also be hidden. Also includes, 2" wide 3M Scotchlite reflective material, right chest wallet pocket, left chest radio pocket, zipper slash side pockets and drawstring hood. Available in high visibility Lime and Orange; sizes M-5XL.
HiVis Supply is a reseller of high visibility apparel including ANSI approved clothing, safety vests and traffic vests for a variety of job duties like roadside construction, manufacturing and plant assembly.
The Great American Highway is decaying - it's crumbling, a part of the national infrastructure that badly needs a facelift. That said, highway construction zones are popping up everywhere.
Drivers must put up with long delays, lane changes, congestion and ultimately frustration while commuting. And sometimes construction zones are unavoidable, so drivers have to take care, caution and extra time to get to where they're going safely.
Being a safe driver comes with the responsibility to exercise caution, good judgment and put workers first in highway construction zones.
Here are some best practices for entering into and driving through highway construction areas:
Give yourself adequate time to get where you're going. Ever notice you hit every red light only when you're late?
Check the traffic patterns on TV, radio or internet websites prior to departure. You may even be able to plan a route around heavy traffic or construction areas.
Take the time to read the signs. Signs can tell you how fast to go, what lies ahead and when congestion should clear up. they'll also tell you when you've exited the zone.
Use your headlights even in the daytime. Making your vehicle more visible also helps roadside workers.
Keep a safe distance. Unexpected stops are prevalant in construction zones and rear-end collisions are commonplace.
No texting while driving. Talking on a cell phone, tuning the radio, eating, reading, or other similarly distracting activities can quickly lead to an accident.
And most of all - SLOW DOWN! Many accidents can be avoided just by going a little slower. This increases your reaction time, and allows workers to more safely maneuver throughout the workzone.
With a little more care and caution, we can lower the risks of injury to roadside workers, and improve our nation's highways for generations to come.
