Be Safe, Be Seen: Guidelines for High Visibility Clothing

At Zip’s AW Direct we get a lot of questions about high-visibility guidelines. Being seen on the job is critical to worker safety out on the road. The sooner motorists see you, the safer you are. Wearing high visibility clothing will help you be seen.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifies two primary classes of reflective wear for people who work on the road. These classes are based on the amount of visible materials and the design attributes of the garment:

Class 3: These garments offer the highest level of visibility and are designed for people working where traffic exceeds 50 mph. Typical jobs requiring Class 3 include road construction workers, tow truck operators, public safety workers and emergency responders.

Check out the various styles of Class 3 reflective wear from Zip’s AW Direct.

Class 2: These reflective garments are not as bright as Class 3. Class 2 reflective vests are designed for work in areas where the speed limit is between 25 and 50 mph. Common job classifications requiring Class 2 vests include school crossing guards, tow truck operators and law enforcement while directing traffic.

Check out the various styles of Class 2 reflective wear from Zip’s AW Direct.

Other Classifications: Apparel rated ANSI Class 1 is only appropriate for off-road work areas like construction sites and parking lots. Apparel rated ANSI Class E, typically pants or bibs, exists to enhance the overall visibility of the worker, but is not independently compliant.