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American Traffic Safety Services Association On Safety Vests



High-visibility safety apparel makes the wearer more visible to traffic under any conditions

Why Is Safety Important
High-visibility safety apparel is personal safety clothing that is intended to provide conspicuity [make the wearer more visible] during both daytime and nighttime usage, and that meets the Performance Class 2 or 3 requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) 107-2004. 1

All workers within the right-of-way of a Federal-aid highway who are exposed either to traffic, or to construction equipment within the work area shall wear high-visibility safety apparel. Workers affected by this requirement include, but are not limited to:

- Highway construction and maintenance
crews, including flaggers
- Inspectors
- Engineering personnel
- Survey crews
- Utility crews
- Responders

View our selection of ANSI Class 2 and 3 Safety Vests

When Should High-Visibility Safety Apparel Be Replaced?

High-visibility safety apparel should be replaced when it becomes faded, torn, dirty, soiled, worn, or defaced, or if it is not visible at 1,000 feet day or night. The typical useful service life of high-visibility safety apparel depends on the type of work an individual performs while wearing the apparel.Apparel that is worn on a daily basis has a service life expectancy of approximately 6 months, although apparel that is not worn on a daily basis may have a useful service life of up to 3 years.
1 Federal Highway Administration worker visibility final rule

American Traffic Safety Services Association
When apparel is ready for replacement, notify your safety compliance officer or supervisor and request replacement apparel. Ensure that they know the kind of work you are doing (repaving, maintenance work, nighttime work, etc.) so that they will know which type of apparel to provide to you. Once you have received your new apparel, cut your old apparel in half so that it can't be reused and then dispose of it properly.

Purchasing agents should consider the following when buying new safety vests and apparel:

- Working conditions (time of day,temperature,etc.).
- Class of apparel needed (Performance Class
2, or 3; Class 1 is unacceptable for any highway work.

See brochure entitled:
Worker Visibility Be Seen. Be Safe. New Requirements for High Visibility Garments- Contact ATSSA for more information.)
- Compliance with ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 and 207-2006.
- State and local standards and guidelines
- MUTCD section 6E, which gives the appropriate colors for the apparel.

Developed by:
American Traffic Safety Services Association
15 Riverside Parkway Suite 100
Fredericksburg, VA 22406-1022

This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under grant agreement No. #DTFH61-06-G-00004. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration.