Standards for High Visibility Safety Vests

Highway workers, road surveyors, emergency responders and others need safety gear that make them highly visible to motorists. The American National Standards Institute/International Safety Equipment Association (ANSI/ISEA) has established standards for this safety clothing.

History

The current standards for high-visibility safety apparel were adopted in June 2009. ANSI/ISEA released preliminary standards in 2007, and there was a 2-year period during which the public could review and comment on the proposed standards. Though various states and municipalities had requirements for safety clothing, this was the first nationwide attempt to regulate safety apparel for highway workers.

The Facts

The law requires that all workers who are within the right of way of a federal aid highway and are exposed to traffic or to construction equipment within the work area must wear high-visibility safety apparel. Depending on the worker's duties and the hazards involved in his job, this apparel may be a vest worn over regular clothing or a jacket, pants, coveralls or combination of the above.

Design Requirements

Regulations require that safety apparel have vivid color contrast and high reflectivity. It must be visible both day and night, so even though a black-and-orange vest might have strong color contrast, it isn't appropriate for night. Most garments meeting the requirement are some combination of fluorescent yellow, orange or green with red, yellow, white or green reflective banding. Garments must be tested and certified by an independent, accredited third-party laboratory.

Exemptions

Firefighters are exempt from the requirements to wear high-visibility safety gear when responding to accidents or fires on a federal highway right-of-way. Approved safety vests don't meet the requirements for resistance to heat and flame necessary for fire-fighting gear.

Lifespan

High-visibility safety vests must be maintained in good condition. Soiled or faded garments must be destroyed and replaced. The American Traffic Safety Services Association estimates that safety vests worn on a daily basis have a service life expectancy of approximately 6 months. Apparel that isn't worn daily may last as long as 3 years. Vests worn for very dirty work, work in hot climates or work at high altitudes may be more subject to fading and soiling and may not last as long. Any garment that is not visible from at least 1,000 feet away, both day and night, should be replaced.

References

• U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
• High visibility safety apparel brochure

Resources

• Work Zone Safety: High Visibility Clothing webinar