What is ANSI?

ANSI, American National Standards Institute, and the ISEA, International Safety Equipment Association, jointly developed a standard for high-visibility clothing that is patterned after the EN-471 standard used in Europe. ANSI and the ISEA are not government agencies, so this standard is really a suggested standard for everyone to look at and choose to adapt on their own. Many States are adopting it, or some variation of it.

The standard covers many details used in the construction of high-visibility garments. Fabric color, labeling, fading,
reflective quality and quantity, suggested style, shrinkage and cleaning are discussed and specified in the standard.

ANSI/INSEA Garment Class Requirements

Minimum area of visible material

Requirement

ANSI/ISEA
107-2010
Class 3

ANSI/ISEA
107-2010
Class 2

ANSI/ISEA 107-2010
Public Safety Vest

ANSI/ISEA
107-2010 Class 1

ANSI/ISEA 107-2010
Class E

Background material

1240 in.2
(0.80 m²)

775 in.2
(0.50 m²)

450 in.2
(0.29 m²)

217 in.2
(0.14 m

465 in.2
(0.30 m²)

Retroreflective or combined performance
material used in conjunction with
background material

310 in.2
(0.20m²)

201 in.2
(0.13m²)

201 in.2
(0.13m²)

155 in.2
(0.10m²)

108 in.2
(0.07m²)

Combined-performance
material used without
background material

NA

NA

NA

310 in.2 (0.20 m2)

NA

Minimum width of retroreflective material

2 in
(50 mm)

1.375 in
(35 mm)

2 in. 1 in (25 mm) or
2 in. (50 mm) (com-
bined-performance
material, without back-
ground material)

2 in
(50 mm)

Level

Minimum number of yards per
retroreflective material width

4.3 yds. of
2 in (50 mm)
width

4 yds. of 1.375
in. (35mm)
width, or 2.8
yrd. of 2 in.(50
mm) widht

2.8 yds. of 22 in. (50
mm) width

4.3 yds. of 1 in.
(25 mm) width, or
2.15 ydr.of 2 in.
(50 mm) width.

1.5 yds. of 2 in.
(50 mm) width

Photometric performance

Level 2
or
Level 1

Level 2
or
Level 1

Level 2

Level 2
or
Level 1

Level 2
or
Level 1

Examples of workers in class I category Includes workers directing vehicles to parking locations, workers retrieving shopping carts, those exposed to the hazards of warehouse equipment traffic, and sidewalk maintenance workers.

Examples of workers in class II category Includes railway, utility, and road construction workers, forestry operations, ship cargo loading, trash collection/recycling operations, school crossing guards, high volume parking and gate personnel, airport baggage handlers, law enforcement and emergency response, accident site investigators, and survey crews.

Examples of works in class III category Includes roadway construction personnel, utility workers, survey crews, and emergency response personnel.