The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved the American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel (ANSI/ISEA 107-1999) in June 1999, in an effort to provide consistent, authoritative guidelines for the selection and use of high-visibility apparel in the United States.

ANSI/ISEA 107-1999 is a voluntary standard that offers performance specifications for reflective materials, including minimum amounts, placement, background material, test methods and care labeling.

ANSI/ISEA 107-1999 specifies three classes of garments based on work environment:

Class III

Garments providing the highest level of visibility to workers in high-risk environments that involve high task loads, a wide range of weather conditions and traffic exceeding 50 mph. Class III garments, which provide coverage to the arms and/or legs as well as the torso include pants, jackets, coveralls or rain wear. The standard recommends these garments for all roadway construction personnel and vehicle operators, utility workers, survey crews, emergency responders, railway workers and accident site investigators.

Class II

Garments intended for users who need greater visibility in poor weather conditions and whose activities occur near roadways where traffic speeds exceed 25 mph. This class of garment is suitable for railway workers, school crossing guards, parking and toll gate personnel, airport ground crews and law enforcement personnel directing traffic.

Class I

Garments for workers who have ample separation from vehicular traffic that does not exceed 25 mph. Class I garments are typically safety vests and are recommended for parking service attendants, workers in warehouses with equipment traffic, shopping cart retrievers, sidewalk maintenance workers and delivery vehicle drivers.

Requirement Class III garments Class II garments Class I garments Background material 1240 in2 (0.80 m2) 775 in2 (0.50 m2) 217 in2 (0.14 m2) Reflective material 310 in2 (0.20 m2) 201 in2 (0.13 m2) 155 in2 (0.10 m2) Photometric performance Level 2 Level 2 Level 2 Combined performance N/A N/A 310

A copy of the standard can be purchased at http://www.safetycentral.org/ISEA/order.html.
For more information about ANSI/ISEA 107-1999, contact the ISEA at (703) 525-1695.