High visibility clothing is essential for ensuring the safety of workers. They are used to enhance visibility both indoors and outdoors. Indeed, such clothing is designed with fluorescent and retro-reflective materials that meet specific standards. Wearing this type of equipment is mandatory in conditions of poor visibility and on road or construction sites.
To meet European safety standards, high visibility clothing must comply with the ISO 20471 standard. Therefore, it is necessary to consider two criteria:
- the fluorescent fabric: the color provides visibility during the day thanks to the contrast with the environment;
- the retro-reflective material: essential for increasing visibility at night, this material can be made from microbeads or microprisms. On high visibility clothing, it is represented by bands.
The ISO 20471 standard divides high visibility equipment into 3 classes according to the surface area of the fluorescent material and of the retro-reflective fabric:
- class 1: for clothing, this is the lowest level of visibility;
- class 2: this intermediate level includes vests and polos;
- class 3: it corresponds to high visibility clothing such as long-sleeved jackets, parkas, and ensembles.
Both day and night, high visibility clothing guarantees the safety of workers. To choose the appropriate signal wear, it is necessary to consider the following points:
- the environment;
- the types of work to be done;
- the working conditions;
- the maintenance of the clothing.
To ensure optimal safety, it is important not to cover high visibility clothing with additional accessories. Note that ensembles cannot be worn separately.