ANSI/ISEA 107 Compliancy

American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) have published the ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 standard which specifies different classes of high visibility garments based on wearer's activities. This standard was developed in response to workers who are exposed to low visibilty conditions in hazardous work zones.

ANSI/ISEA have also recently published the ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 Standard for High Visibility Public Safety Vests which establishes design and performance specifications, and use criteria for high visibility vests that rae used by law enforcement, emergency responders, fire officials, and DOT personnel. This public safety vest standard was created in response to public safety user group demand in 2005 for a high visibilty safety vest garment differentiated from ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 compliant apparel. The primary concern was a need for flexibility of designs that would provide tactical capability not achievable with ANSI 107 garments. Law enforcement and emergency responders that would be distinct from ANSI 107 to avoid interchangeability with other high visibilty vests.

ANSI/ISEA 107-2004

There are three classes of garments specified in the standard that are based on the wearer's activities.

Class 3: These garments provide the highest level of conspicuity for workers. These are for workers with high task loads in a wide range of weather conditions where traffic exceeds 50 mph. The standard "recommends these garments for all roadway construction personnel, vehicle operators, utility workers, survey crews, emergency responders, railway workers, and accident site investigators".

Class 2: These garments are for workers who work near roadways where traffic exceeds 25 mph and need greater visibilty in inclement weather. Workers who would typically wear these garments are railway workers, school crossing guards, parking and toll gate personnel, airport ground crews, and law enforcement personnel directing traffic,

Class 1: These garments are worn by workers where traffic does not exceed 25 mph and there is ample separation from traffic. These workers typically are parking service attendants, warehouse workers in equipment traffic, shopping cart retreivers, and those doing sidewalk maintenance.

The three classes of garments are differentiated by the requirements for amounts of retroreflective material that needs to meet specified performance criteria, the width and placement of the material, design and the color of the garment used.

Class 3: These garments have the greatest visibility of the three classes. These will have more retroreflective material used than in Class 2 and it must have sleeves with retroreflective material between the shoulders and elbows. The minimum width of the retroreflective material used on these should not be less than 50mm.

Class 2: These garments have superior visibilty and are more conspicuous than Class 1 garments. The minimum width of the retroreflective material used on these is not less than 35mm.

Class 1: These garments need to be conspicuous and use retroreflective materials not less than 25mm in width.

There are charts and figures in the standard that give the minimum requirements for retroreflectivity (chromaticity) and luminance (color of the garment) combinations that are acceptable. The luminous colors that are used and accepted as long as they meet the minimum standard are flourescent yellow-green, flourescent orange-red, and flourescent red.

The design of the garments and where the tape should be applied is in Appendix B2 of the standard. The garments vary, but include coveralls, jackets, vests, trousers, and sash belts. Section 5.2.2 of the standard has suggested design configurations. For example, 5.2.2a states "jackets, waistcoats, vests, and ponchos shall be designed to permit maximum visibility of the wearer".

Sources for more information

ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 American National Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel