ANSI Visibility Standards

High visibility work clothes increase employee safety around traffic and heavy machinery through a combination of backgrounds and retroreflective materials. At first glance, hi-viz work shirts might all seem the same, but that’s not true at all. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) classifies high-visibility clothing based on work environments to maximize employee safety.

 

 ANSI Standards and OSHA

ANSI requirements regarding high-visibility work clothes are covered under the American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Accessories. The ANSI standards are voluntary guidelines, except for cases where employees work on or beside public roads, in which case high-visibility work clothing is required by the Federal Highway Worker Visibility Rule and the 2009 Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. In cases where the law requires hi-viz workwear, ANSI standards are still followed and enforced by OSHA.

 

ANSI High Visibility Work Clothes Classifications

ANSI standards divide hi-viz work shirts and other high visibility clothing into three distinct categories:

1. Type O (Offroad)
2. Type R (Roadwork)
3. Type P (Public Safety)

These three types of clothing are broken down into four classes:

1. Class 1: For work environments separated from traffic or where equipment speeds are less than 2 mph.
2. Class 2: For work on or near roadways, exposure to traffic traveling at speeds of more than 2 mph, or environments where complex backgrounds obscure visibility.
3. Class 3: For high-risk situations where workers need to be visible at all times and during all body motions at a minimum distance of 1280 feet, and/or are exposed to high-speed traffic.
4. Class E: A special class of clothing that does not meet the requirements of the previous three classes alone, but can be used in combination with other garments to meet specific class requirements.

Here’s a breakdown of the types of work environments where each ANSI Type should be used:

 

 ANSI Type O (Offroad)

ANSI Type O hi-viz clothing should only be used in off-road environments, such as parking lots, warehouses, factories, and oil/gas refineries. Hi-viz shirts such as the ML Kishigo Enhanced Visibility Contrast T-Shirt are typical examples of Type O workwear and are only suited for Performance Class 1 purposes.

 

 ANSI Type R (Roadwork)

While Type O standards won’t include Class 1, 2, or 3 garments, Type R hi-visibility clothing can be Class 2 or 3. ANSI standards consider Type R to be appropriate workwear for use on roadways, construction sites, and transportation applications where moving vehicles or equipment constitute a hazard. For workers around roadways, use of Type R high-visibility clothing is required by law.

 

 Type R Class 2 and Type R Class 3 garments include high-viz work shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets. Typical examples include:

• Carhartt's High Vis Force Long Sleeve T-Shirt
• Carhartt's 2-Piece Value Class 3 Rainsuit Set
• OccuNomix's Black Bottom T-Shirt
• Caterpillar's Class 3 Soft Shell Jacket
• Red Kap's Hi-Visibility Ripstop Work Shirt

ANSI Type P High Visibility Work Clothes

ANSI Type P Class 2 and Class 3 garments are designed primarily for first responders, including firefighters, police, and EMTs. They differ from Type R in the amount of background fabric required.

 

 ANSI standards help employers choose the right visibility garments for their employees based on the work environment. Each of the three classes has minimum requirements for the amount of background and retroreflective materials. If in doubt, opt for the higher class--it’s better to be extra visible than hard to spot in a busy workspace!