Keeping customers safe, keeping you seen
1st September 2026
The heat waves are over, the seasons are changing and now is the perfect time to assess what hi-vis garments you and your team are wearing.
High visibility garments help to visually signal the wearers presence in safety risk areas and low light conditions.
1000’s of workers wear high visibility garments everyday but what do all the numbers and ratings really mean and how do you know what you should be wearing?
What is EN ISO 20471?
EN ISO 20471 is the international standard that specifies requirements for high visibility garments including everyday work vests, jackets, trousers, t-shirts and coveralls.
EN ISO 20471 has three classes which provide different complicity in daylight and darkness. The three classes are determined by the amount of fluorescent material used and the volume of reflective tape incorporated into the garment.
Class 1
The minimum level of protection required in mostly private risk areas. To meet this class the garment must have a minimum of 0.14m² of fluorescent material and must incorporate 0.10m² of retro-reflective material which is equal to 2m of 5cm wide tape.
Who should wear class 1?
Warehouse operatives
Office workers
Event organisers
Indoor logistics staff
Class 2
Intermediate level of protection required for higher risk areas and basic roadside working. To meet class 2 garments must have a minimum of 0.50m² of fluorescent material and must incorporate 0.13m² of retro-reflective material which is equal to 2.60m of 5cm wide tape.
Who should wear class 2?
Construction workers
Delivery drivers
Parking wardens
Security stewards
Class 3
The highest level of protection required in safety risk areas including airports and major roads. To meet this class the garment must have a minimum of 0.80m² of fluorescent material and must incorporate 0.20m² of retro-reflective material which is equal to 4m of 5cm wide tape.
Who should wear class 3?
Highway maintenance
Rail workers
Traffic management
Airport operatives
Does colour determine the EN ISO 20471 class?
Although colour does not directly determine the EN ISO 20471 class, the primary fluorescent colours are yellow and orange. If your workplace needs to visually separate workers through coloured garments you should choose colours which have a high visual contrast against your working environment. For example:
If you work in urban construction, we recommend yellow to contrast against the greys and blacks of concrete and metal.
If you work in an office environment, we recommend bold colours such as red or blue to contrast the neutral greys, beige and white of desks and décor.
If you work in rural areas, we recommend orange to contrast against green vegetation and dark brown earthworks.
It is also important to note that some industries have their own requirements and ratings which are only met by specific colours; for example if you work in rail industries your high visibility garments must meet RIS 3279 TOM, this standard can only be met by orange.
So what garments should I wear?
We supply thousands of high visibility garments and accessories from big brands such as Regatta, Portwest, Supertouch, Leo, ProRTX, Bee Swift and Yoko.
High visibility garments should only be purchased from certified and trained suppliers with BSIF registration, our expert team can help you choose the right products for your safety needs, simply call 0114 243 3755 or email enquiries@ardenwinch.com.
Click here to view some of our most popular high visibility styles: https://ardenwinch.fullcollection.com/catalogue/5-product-by-type/227-hi-vis?sort=recommended
