Manufacturing Hi-Vis

High Visibility Clothing

High Visibility means personal protective safety clothing, such as a reflective vest, that is intended to provide conspicuous viewing during both daytime and nighttime usage, and that meets the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of ANSI 107-2004, often referred to as ANSI 2 and ANSI 3 classes of reflective vests and clothing. The new rule also applies to volunteer workers. The rule does have an option for law enforcement and first responders to use new ANSI public safety vests under the ANSI 207. ANSI 207 is often known as Tear Away Safety Vests

ANSI Class 2 Vests

Ansi Class 2 vests, simply defined means that the vest requires at least 775 square inches of background and 201 square inches of retro-reflective material in at least 1.375 inch (35mm) strips. Ansi 2 is designed for workers in traffic zones where traffic is going 25 mph, but no more than 50mph or where heavy machinery is present.

ANSI Class 3 Vests

Ansi class 3 vests require 1240 square inches of background, and 310 square inches of retro-reflective material in at least 2 inch (50mm) strips. All class 3 vests have sleeves, and are required for all zones where traffic exceeds 50mph.

ANSI Class 107 Vests

Ansi 107 vests require only 217 inches of background material with retro-reflective material of at least 201 square inches. These vests are designed to tear away if the wearer is grabbed or snagged.

ANSI Class 207 Vests

Designed for public safety personnel where entanglement or entrapment (someone grabs at the vest), these vests are designed to tear away via velcro strips & fastening. These vests are worn by police, fire, EMS and DOT personnel where snagging or grabbing is a concern. Ansi 207 vests must 450 square inches of background material with 201 square inches of retro-reflective material.

What is Retro-Reflective?

Retro-Reflective material is designed to return light directly back to the source regardless of the direction the light originates from. Designed in a unique way, retro-reflective materials are used to brightly reflect light back to the source and are used in many applications such as safety vests, road cones, and road signs.

High Visibility Compliance

Compliance Effective Date For High Visibility Clothing on Federal Highways As of Nov. 24, 2008, all workers within the right of way of a federal-aid highway are required to wear high visibility clothing that meets the performance requirements of ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 2 or ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 3 or ANSI 207 public safety vests. The Federal Highway Administration published the final rule regarding high visibility clothing as Part 634 of Title 23 (23 CFR part 634) Code of Federal Regulations to reduce the likelihood of worker fatalities and injuries caused by motor vehicles and construction equipment on federal-aid highways.