FLEXcon Company, Inc., an innovator in adhesive coating and laminating, and Advanced Visibility, a pioneer in glow technology, have come together to bring GlowGuard® to market. GlowGuard is a revolutionary glow-in-the-dark product that improves safety in low-light and dark conditions by making workers more visible without the use of electricity, batteries or wires.

A focus of OSHA and safety professionals is “struck-by” accidents, where a worker is struck by a vehicle or piece of machinery - one of the Fatal 4 workplace accidents. The cause is usually that the worker was not seen by the operator of a vehicle, whether it was a co-worker operating machinery or a passing driver. This is especially true in dark and low-light conditions. To increase workplace safety in these circumstances, Advanced Visibility has developed GlowGuard, the next generation in high visibility glow-in-the-dark products.

GlowGuard delivers the best glow performance while optimizing durability and cost by using the most efficient and cost-effective phosphorescent pigments on the market. GlowGuard activates in seconds when exposed to sunlight or bright artificial light and glows for up to eight hours, making it visible from hundreds of feet away when fully charged, even in broad daylight. It can withstand laundering, making it ideal for safety vests, work pants and the like. Several of the largest utility companies in the US have specified GlowGuard technology after wear trials showed the vulnerability of workers when stepping into the shadows or outside the well "lit" work areas.

“Having suffered a traumatic work injury, I am passionate about workplace safety specifically as it relates to worker visibility,” says Justin Krook, president, Advanced Visibility. “When I discovered that 99% of “struck by” accidents could have been prevented with better visibility in low light conditions, I set out on a mission to formulate a superior product for the job and GlowGuard is the result.”

FLEXcon was brought into the fold when Krook was trying to qualify an overlaminate that didn’t reduce the glow intensity or cause issues with tunneling, adhesion or pliability. FLEXcon was able to identify a 2 mil clear vinyl that turned out to be ideal. It bonds well to GlowGuard and protects while not inhibiting the glow. The two companies have also developed a glow-in-the-dark tape that can be applied to hard hats, vehicles, signage and tripping hazards. Potential applications include hard hat logos, hunting, running and motorcycle gear, boats, and signage.

“We’re very excited to be instrumental in bringing this breakthrough technology to market,” says Brian Bressette, supervisor – technology operations, FLEXcon. “Innovative projects like these drive us to think outside the box, and I look forward to working with Advanced Visibility on the next phase of their product development.” Since the launch of GlowGuard, Advanced Visibility and FLEXcon have begun collaborating on a full visible spectrum of Emissive Colors. For continuous product updates, industry news and engagement, follow FLEXcon on LinkedIn and Twitter @FLEXcon.