ANSI 107

 

American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel 

 

The 2020 version of the American National Standards Institute (ANS) / International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) ANSI/ISEA 107 standard is the fifth edition of the voluntary industry consensus standard.

The criteria for high-visibility accessories have been removed from the 2020 standard although users are encouraged to use high-visibility accessories such as gloves, hoods and head coverings to enhance their visibility.

 

Types

The standard establishes three types:

 

·       Type O (“off-road”)

 

·       Type R (“roadway”)

 

·       Type P (“public safety”)

 

Type O is defined as apparel that “provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for workers in occupational environments which pose struck-by hazards from moving vehicles,              equipment and machinery, but which will not include exposure to traffic on public access highway rights-of-way or roadway temporary traffic control (TTC) zones.” Examples of those who may need       Type O apparel include:

·       Workers retrieving shopping carts from parking areas

·       Workers exposed to the hazards of warehouse equipment traffic

·       Workers in oil and gas extraction, refineries and mines

 

Type R apparel “provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for workers in occupational environments which include exposure to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of         travel) from public access highway rights-of-way, or roadway TTC zones or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a roadway TTC zone.” Examples of workers who may need Type R apparel include:

·       Roadway construction workers

·       Parking and/or toll gate personnel

·       School crossing guards

·       Towing operators

·       Airport baggage handlers/ground crew

 

Type P apparel “provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel in occupational environments which include            exposure to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) from public access highway rights-of-way, or roadway TTC zones, or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a           roadway TTC zone or from equipment and vehicles within the activity area.” Type P apparel provides additional options for emergency responders and law enforcement who may experience competing    hazards or require access to special equipment. Examples of workers who may need Type P apparel include:

 

·       Law enforcement personnel

 

·       Emergency response personnel

 

·       Firefighting personnel

 

·       Road closure personnel

 

·       Accident site investigators

 

Performance Classes

 

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 contains four performance classes:

 

·       Performance Class 1

 

·       Performance Class 2

 

·       Performance Class 3

 

·       Supplemental Class E

 

Each performance class has specific minimum design requirements regarding the background materials, retroreflective/combined performance materials and width of reflective materials used in the            garments.

 

Performance Class 1 offers the minimum amount of high-visibility materials to differentiate the wearer visually from non-complex work environments and is only appropriate for off-road (Type O)            environments.

 

Stepping up to Performance Class 2, these garments have additional amounts of high-visibility materials that allow for better definition of the human form. Performance Class 2 is considered the minimum level of protection for workers exposed to roadway rights-of-way and TTC zones, as required in the FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

 

Performance Class 3 has an even a greater minimum level of high-visibility material the apparel must contain. This class provides more visibility to the wearer in both complex backgrounds and through a full range of movement by the required placement of background, retroreflective and combined performance materials on the sleeves and pant legs (if present). A garment or vest without sleeves worn        alone is NOT considered Class 3 protection.

 

Configurations

 

High-visibility safety apparel must incorporate the minimum areas of materials as shown in the table below. Both Performance Class 2 and Class 3 garments can be rated for either Type R or P                   environments. The distinction between a Type R or P rating lies under the required minimum levels for background material.

Supplemental Class E is comprised of high-visibility garments such as pants, bib overalls, shorts and gaiters. These items do not qualify as meeting the requirements of the standard when worn alone, but when a Class E item is worn with a Performance Class 2 or Class 3 garment, the overall classification of the ensemble is Performance Class 3.