Even with the advent of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) in , and its many subsequent safety standards put in place to safeguard the American workforce, it is sometimes hard to believe that the first guideline regarding high visibility garments was not published until . This standard was the result of a joint effort of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA). The ANSI/ISEA 107- standard, for high visibility garments, was the first widely recognized standard that addressed hi-vis clothing design, performance specifications, and usage. 

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Together, ANSI and ISEA help ensure that workplace apparel and equipment are made to a high standard to enhance safety and quality on the most dangerous job sites. One area that&#;s closely monitored by these groups is personal protective equipment (PPE), including high visibility apparel. When shopping for hi vis clothing for yourself or your employees, you want to look for garments that are compliant to the ANSI/ISEA 107 standard. 

What Is ANSI/ISEA?

This standard was created by ANSI and the ISEA. It helps to know a little bit about these organizations to understand their requirements.

ANSI is a not-for-profit organization that helps strengthen voluntary consensus standards in the U.S. For over 100 years, ANSI has been providing standardizations created alongside industry experts, government agencies, consumer groups, and companies. These standards are used to encourage a consistent, uniform production of certain goods, which is crucial for helping to ensure high-level safety on the jobsite.

The ISEA (International Safety Equipment Association) is an American not-for-profit trade association made up of manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety apparel. Founded in , ISEA has been setting specific standards in the production of high-visibility clothing, eye protection, chemical protection, and more. Today, it is made up of over 100 companies that make products in this industry, and many of them are available in our selection.

What Is the ANSI/ISEA 107 Standard?

The ANSI/ISEA 107 standard is the national standard for high visibility safety apparel (HVSA) and accessories. The requirements pertain to the garment&#;s background material and retroreflective material, and both of these must be tested by an accredited laboratory before an item is considered ANSI/ISEA 107 compliant. In order for a garment to meet the ANSI 107 standard, it must meet three important criteria. It must be:

The base fabric must be made out of a high visibility fabric. Whether it is a high visibility yellow-green, orange-red, or red, the fabric must be what the standard refers to as &#;fluorescent.&#; These fabrics use special pigments to make them appear brighter so they stand out against the ambient background. They help increase visibility when working in low-lit conditions or at night. All apparel rated to this standard, regardless of the performance class or type, should be fluorescent to some degree.

It must be made with reflective tape or striping. Reflective striping can improve visibility when your workers are out at dawn or dusk or in low-lit conditions. It&#;s especially important when working on roadway jobs because it helps return light to the direction of its source. For example, it will appear much brighter to a driver who is shining his headlights toward a worker. While the fluorescent material ensures some visibility in low-lit conditions, reflective material will significantly improve visibility at dusk or dawn, so the combination of both kinds of eye-catching materials is essential when on the jobsite.

One of the interesting things about all ANSI 107 apparel is that it has to be tested by an accredited laboratory. After that, the manufacturer must provide a Declaration of Conformity with each model. This ensures that manufacturers don&#;t improperly or wrongfully label their apparel as meeting the standard when it does not.

Examples of ANSI/ISEA 107 Garments

Other Important Factors

The standard also covers things like placement of the retroreflective material, the amount of material required for different classes (more on this below), and the garment labeling. But, by and large, the two most important things are that the garments be highly visible with the use of fluorescent fabrics and that they have reflective tape.

Types and Performance Classes of ANSI 107

In , ANSI and ISEA combined two separate documents&#;the ANSI/ISEA 107- standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) and the ANSI/ISEA 207- American National Standard for High Visibility Public Safety Vests&#;to create a single comprehensive document called ANSI/ISEA 107-. The version required a new classification system to ensure that garment types were suitable for many different work environments.

The types and performance classes range from minimal high visibility (Class 1) to exceptionally high visibility (Class 2 and 3). To determine class, various factors are measured&#;the background material amount (in square inches), the reflective material amount (in square inches), and the minimum width of the reflective material (in inches). In general, for more safety and visibility, you want more inches of reflective materials on your garment. The current types and performance classes are:

High Fashion: Everything You Should Know About High Visibility Safety Apparel

Maintenance workers began using high-visibility clothing in .

High visibility clothing is used in a handful of industries, including construction and roadside maintenance. You've seen this type of clothing in the form of reflective pants, bright shirts, and orange vests.

Did you know the different colors on the clothing are used in different scenarios? Most people don't. In fact, we bet there's a lot you don't know about high-visibility clothing.

Don't worry because we have all the information you need. Keep reading the guide below to discover more about high-visibility safety clothing. 

How Do I Select My Hi-Vis Clothing?

The main characteristics you'll notice about any high-visibility clothing are reflective tape and bright colors. Most pieces of HIV clothing are made with shades of yellow, green, orange, white, and red. 

When selecting hi-vis clothing for your job, double-check for an ANSI/ISEA label. You'll notice either a or label, depending on what set of standards the clothing matches. 

standards allowed for better, safer fits for workers and provided guidelines on gloves and armbands. If you're looking at a label correlating with standards, you'll also find information on flame resistance and performance class. Always have a flame resistant safety vest nearby!

To gather a better sense of quality clothing items available, check out well-known hi-vis clothing brands, such as RadWear high visibility clothing. 

When Do I Wear It?

Wear your high-visibility safety clothing on a worksite with potential dangers, especially if moving vehicles nearby. You'll especially need to wear it if you're working in a darker or highly congested environment.

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Hi-vis gear is also required for employees performing excavation or flagging roles. Employees working in areas of potential struck-by dangers should also be wearing hi-vis clothing to guarantee their co-workers are fully aware of their presence on a site.

While wearing safety gear, there are several factors to constantly be aware of. Keep in an eye on the weather, specific work tasks being performed, the proximity to moving vehicles, lighting conditions, and the presence of flames. 

Are you working at a site and notice there are no barriers between you and moving vehicles? This is a scenario in which it's especially important to wear your high visibility reflective gear.

Pay Attention in Training

If your job requires hi-vis gear, you'll learn about it during training. Listening during training is crucial to protect you and your co-workers on the job. 

Training should cover when to use the safety gear, how to select the correct fit, how to properly store the equipment, and how to clean your gear. Did your trainer not cover these topics? Make sure to ask the questions yourself. 

Are you on the job and notice co-workers not correctly wearing their gear? Give them a friendly reminder, or speak with your boss if it becomes a problem. 

The Uses of Color

High visibility safety gear colors are used in various jobs, but some colors are used more often in specific environments than others. 

Neon yellows are used in most environments because it contrasts the surrounding elements, such as dirt, rock, and trees. Orange is typically used on the water because orange contrasts well with blue. Those working in natural environments, such as forests, often wear bright pink because it's not a color often found in nature. 

Is your company using other colors on a vest to create a company logo? Follow mandatory guidelines. When the vest with the logo is laid flat, you must be able to see 40% of the minimum amount of the reflective material. 

Distinct Classes of Reflective Clothing

Hi-vis clothing can be categorized into 3 distinct classes. The different classes indicate levels of reflection and have a variety of uses depending on your job. 

Guarantee you're wearing the correct class of hi-vis clothing as you work. Check with federal and state guidelines if you're unsure about what to wear. 

Class 1

Class 1 includes the least reflective clothing. Those wearing this class of gear blend into their environment, and the moving vehicles around them are unable to spot them from a distance. 

According to ANSI/ISEA standards, class 1 clothing must have background material at least 217 square inches. If used with a bright background, the reflective tape must cover 155 square inches. If used without a bright background, such as any black high visibility shirts, the reflective tape must cover 310 square inches. 

Class 2

Do you work by traffic alongside a roadway? You must wear class 2 or 3 hi-vis clothing. 

In class 2, the background material must take up at least 755 square inches. The reflective tape must take up at least 201 square inches of space. 

If you're wearing this clothing class, there must be a barrier, such as orange traffic cones, between you and the moving traffic as you work during the day. Traffic should also be slowing down as they approach the construction site. 

Class 3 

Class 3 hi-vis clothing pieces are the most visible and easiest to spot from a distance. No matter which way they're standing, those wearing class 3 must be able to be seen from 1,280 feet away. 

This clothing class should be worn near high-speed traffic, at night, or in highly-congested city areas. It's also worn in the case there's no lane change available for nearby traffic. 

The background of the clothing must cover at least 1,240 square inches. Reflective tape should cover 310 square inches. Class 3 clothing should also either have sleeves or trousers. 

A class 3 ensemble can be created by pairing ANSI class 2 shirts with class E trousers. Your class E trousers must have reflective tape that covers at least 108 square inches. 

Keeping Safe: High-Visibility Safety Clothing

Protecting yourself and those around you is imperative when working on a hazardous job site. Educate yourself on high-visibility safety clothing with the above article. 

It's important to know when to wear it and how to properly wear it. If your job requires wearing hi-vis clothing, know which class of clothing to wear. Ask your employer any questions if you're confused about what to wear. 

To get your own hi-vis clothing today, check out our site. We offer a large variety of brands and are even able to provide bulk custom orders. Contact us today to get started.  

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Yellow High Visibility Fabric. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.