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The newest TA vest?


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So, as I was looking at the pictures from the weekend track work that took place, I noticed that some workers, including a few supervisors, were wearing an orange vest, but it was different and unusual compared to the others:

 

n5ldn4.jpg

 

If someone can kindly elaborate as far as what's going on, I (and others) would truly appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

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If I'm correct RTO will start issuing them sometime next month. The current safety vest will start to phase out. Jan 2015 all personnel (track, signals, etc) will be required to have the new ones.

Some already got theirs I guess it's where you are perhaps?

Looks like all of you foamers imposters are gonna have to start over.....

Let's see how long before I start seeing the pictures on Facebook with one of them wearing one.

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If I'm correct RTO will start issuing them sometime next month. The current safety vest will start to phase out. Jan 2015 all personnel (track, signals, etc) will be required to have the new ones.

Cool!

I always hated the current ones because they are so flimsy with the buttons. That I think I heard was to make them pop off easily if they get snagged onto anything, but then they fall off too easily on their own, and could get caught even quicker that way. 

When I saw the new one I was going to ask about it, but figured it might only be for track workers (who are what I saw them on), and that a zipper might be seen as too unsafe for RTO for the reason mentioned.

 

Wish they would incorporate the bright color and reflective strips into jackets, so that we would would not need a separate vest when jackets are worn.

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They started giving them out on June 1st and the current ones can't be used after the end of the year. Whats funny is that they are almost identical to what the MBTA uses. The zippers should not be a problem since the sides and shoulders are velco and are designed to breakaway if they get snagged on anything.

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I went through about three vests in one year that were from the most recent production run. The buttons were the problem. The front ones, the side ones, the ID pocket...all fell off at some point. I had an earlier-production vest that was solid as anything, but didn't have the front reflective MTA patch, so I didn't wear it in the field. 

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Apparently the reflective "X" on the back was the product of product of a safety vest redesign by WMATA, down in Washington, D.C. The X is supposed to indicate the back of the person wearing the vest to other viewers (such as train operators), so that someone approaching the person in low light situations knows whether that person is facing the approaching person (or vehicle) or not.

 

As for the zippers vs. buttons, I know that FRA mandate railroad safety vests be secured with Velcro, so as to make the vest easily detachable if it gets caught by a passing vehicle. But NYCTA doesn't have to answer to FRA...

 

Taking another example from DC, I've seen employees issued coats and t-shirts with the reflective striping and colors to remove the extra layer of the vest and therefore the snag hazard. I've even seen highlighter green colored wool hats and gloves worn during wintertime!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got my new vest last week had to turn in the old one.  They are good for the winter, keeps you warmer; working in the tunnels is brutal these summer months with the heat.  From what I heard there are also changing out these vest because too many non (MTA) workers have them and cause problems by parking illegally with the vest in the window, unauthorized use, etc.  I just makes it harder for us.

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Strangely enough these vests violate many rules.

I'm still combing the rule book for actual rule numbers and pages.

 

1- They are 100% Polyester which we are told not to wear due to flammability.

2- They can be washed a maximum of 5 times according to the label. Is Transit washing them and keeping track?

3- If an employee is struck by a train will that person be blamed with "over washing" the vest to the point it no longer reflects? Now, they'll blame the employee and supervisior.

 

 

I'm seeing problems with these vests.

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Strangely enough these vests violate many rules.

I'm still combing the rule book for actual rule numbers and pages.

 

1- They are 100% Polyester which we are told not to wear due to flammability.

2- They can be washed a maximum of 5 times according to the label. Is Transit washing them and keeping track?

3- If an employee is struck by a train will that person be blamed with "over washing" the vest to the point it no longer reflects? Now, they'll blame the employee and supervisior.

 

 

I'm seeing problems with these vests.

 

You aren't the Only One... :(

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Another BIG issue...they're not as reflective. Add the white reflective stripe on the current one to solve the problem.

 

There the same as the vests the MBTA uses in Boston. I have one and I wear it at work and its much more reflective than the old TA vests.
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  • 5 weeks later...

The X on the back is a great idea. However, SHOULD THE VEST BE SNAGGED FROM BEHIND, THE ZIPPER WILL IMMEDIATELY CATCH AROUND THE NECK before a POSSIBLE break-away. I wonder what kind of tests were done before approval...

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The X on the back is a great idea. However, SHOULD THE VEST BE SNAGGED FROM BEHIND, THE ZIPPER WILL IMMEDIATELY CATCH AROUND THE NECK before a POSSIBLE break-away. I wonder what kind of tests were done before approval...

The reason that the vests were changed in the first place is because the new vest is safer. It has 6 Velcro break away points that prevent injury if the vest gets caught on/in anything...
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lol... I'm almost certain that they're not made here in the U.S. by union workers, as some of the older uniforms were... That's probably why the new ones are so flimsy...  It's odd that the unions claim that they're so pro-union and pro American jobs but buy uniforms made outside of the US... <_<

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lol... I'm almost certain that they're not made here in the U.S. by union workers, as some of the older uniforms were... That's probably why the new ones are so flimsy...  It's odd that the unions claim that they're so pro-union and pro American jobs but buy uniforms made outside of the US... <_<

 

Source? Link?

 

Pics or it didnt happen...

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Source? Link?

 

Pics or it didnt happen...

My own two eyes are the source... My uncle works for the TA... His old MTA shirts are "Made in USA"... The newer ones are "Made in Mexico" I believe, but definitely not in the US. I happened to be at his place when the wife was doing laundry and saw some of his shirts laying there in plain view folded up where the tag shows and decided to have a peak out of interest since (MTA) workers are always yelling about how they're so pro-union and pro American jobs... lol I chucked to myself and said "sellouts"...

 

The difference between the two shirts was certainly noticeable and the newer one looked cheaper compared next to the older shirt. Color was slightly different too.

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lol... I'm almost certain that they're not made here in the U.S. by union workers, as some of the older uniforms were... That's probably why the new ones are so flimsy...  It's odd that the unions claim that they're so pro-union and pro American jobs but buy uniforms made outside of the US... <_<

And you'd be wrong. The vest design is from ML Kishigo and they are made by IBNYS (the same company that made the old vests) in Albany, New York.

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My own two eyes are the source... My uncle works for the TA... His old MTA shirts are "Made in USA"... The newer ones are "Made in Mexico" I believe, but definitely not in the US. I happened to be at his place when the wife was doing laundry and saw some of his shirts laying there in plain view folded up where the tag shows and decided to have a peak out of interest since (MTA) workers are always yelling about how they're so pro-union and pro American jobs... lol I chucked to myself and said "sellouts"...

 

The difference between the two shirts was certainly noticeable and the newer one looked cheaper compared next to the older shirt. Color was slightly different too.

Actually they are made in Honduras .....

 

Also considering the fact the MTA is the one that has control over uniforms WE wear your little sad and pathetic dig at the UNION workers is kinda laughable....

 

 

 

Keep riding those buses...

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And you'd be wrong. The vest design is from ML Kishigo and they are made by IBNYS (the same company that made the old vests) in Albany, New York.

He should be used to being wrong anyway he got "confused" in his giddiness to try to trump us he mentioned "shirts" when the topic clearly was about the "vest"... Making it more laughable.. That whole reading comprehension thing... ;)

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