ANSI 107 American National Standard for High Visibility Safety Clothing

EUROLAB laboratory provides testing and compliance services within the scope of ANSI 107 standard. Most recently updated in 2015, the American National Standards Institute for High-Visibility Safety (ANSI) provides consistent, authoritative guidelines for the selection and use of high-visibility clothing in the United States. The standard is designed as a guideline to assist manufacturers, consumers and the general public in the use of high-visibility safety apparel.

ANSI 107 provides performance specifications and outlines the minimum amount of background material and retro reflective material (high-visibility tape), tape placement on clothing, testing methods, garment labeling, and gloss factor, among other factors.

The 2015 update combines the requirements of ANSI 107-2010 and ANSI 207 (American National Standard for Public Safety Vests) to create a single, comprehensive document that takes into account all professional duties. While the standard continues to offer three performance classes (see below) based on the amount of visible materials and the design features included in the final configuration, it also defines garment types based on expected use settings and work activities performed. These are designated as off-road (type O), road and temporary traffic control (type R) or public safety activities (type P).

In response to concerns expressed by smaller size wearers about the risk of having to wear oversized clothing that poses a danger of being caught, the committee included provisions for Type R Performance Class 2 and Performance Class 3 clothing, the smallest size proposed to be used in a smaller quantity. . Background material to allow more appropriate sizing for smaller workers. It is emphasized that these reduced quantities are specifically aimed at meeting the needs of smaller size workers, that only the smallest size for any garment is allowed to deviate from the specified minimum, and that the configuration obtained using these quantities is consistent with the other.

Manufacturers can now also choose to have high-visibility clothing labeled as flame-retardant. To be marked as flameproof, high-visibility clothing must fully comply with the requirements of one of the durability methods.

Finally, with the recognition of the increased use of high-visibility accessory items such as armbands or hats, the standard now defines minimum material requirements for these accessories. The new labeling requirements will define the garment according to its performance class, type and flame resistance characteristics as defined in the standard. ANSI 107 also extends garment configuration examples to illustrate compatible and non-compliant designs.

Class I: These garments are designed for workers with sufficient distance from vehicular traffic at a speed not exceeding 25 mph. Class I garments are generally safety vests; Recommended for parking attendants, workers in warehouses with equipment traffic, shopping cart buyers, sidewalk maintenance workers and delivery truck drivers.

Class II: These garments are for wearers who need greater visibility in bad weather and whose activities take place near roads where traffic speeds exceed 25 mph. This class of clothing is suitable for railroad workers, school crossing officers, parking and toll booth personnel, airport ground crews, and law enforcement personnel directing traffic.

Class III: These garments provide the highest level of visibility to those working in high-risk environments with high duty loads, a wide variety of weather conditions and traffic exceeding 50 mph. Class III clothing provides protection for the arms and/or legs as well as the torso and may include trousers, jackets, overalls or raincoats. The standard recommends that all road construction personnel and vehicle operators, utility workers, investigative teams, emergency responders, railway workers and crash site investigators wear these garments.

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