High Visibility Work Clothing

High Visibility Vests and Clothing

High-visibility (hi vis) clothing, a type of personal protective equipment (PPE), is any clothing worn that has highly reflective properties or a color that is easily discernible from any background. Part of the surface of the hi-vis garment may have retroreflective stripes. For greater daytime visibility, very bright colors are used for the main body of the garment by means of fluorescent material. U.S. federal law requires all personnel working on a federally funded highway project to wear a high-visibility vest. Firefighters are only excluded from this hi-visibility requirement while actively engaged in firefighting activities or hazardous materials situations. At all other times, high visibility clothing must be worn. In addition, paramedics, police officers not engaged in law enforcement activities (i.e. traffic stops), tow truck operators, and road workers are required by law to wear high visibility clothing.

ANSI Class 2 garments are normally specified when work takes place in or near moving traffic or in inclement weather, and the worker's tasks occasionally divert his attention from traffic.

ANSI Class 3 garments offer the greatest level of visibility and are specified for work taking place in or near high speed traffic. The worker must be conspicuous through a full range of motion and must focus all attention on work, not traffic.

ANSI Class E garments use fluorescent fabric and some retro-reflective material, but do not meet any of the ANSI class requirements when worn alone. However, when worn with a vest, jacket or other Class 2 compliant garment, the entire outfit can then be classified as a Class 3 ensemble.