Visibility is critical to worker safety. Low visibility poses a serious hazard for workers performing tasks near moving traffic. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Worker Visibility Final Rule:

“All workers within the right-of-way of a Federal-aid highway who are exposed either to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) or to construction equipment within the work area shall wear high-visibility safety apparel.”

High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) is defined as any garment that meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 107-2015 Class 2 or Class 3 standard. The previous minimum standard was ANSI 107-2004. Check with your local safety officer for the most current requirements, as all HVSA should comply with the latest approved standard.

To verify that your HVSA meets the standard, check the garment label. The label must clearly identify the garment Type and Performance Class, along with other required information. A sample label is shown below. The updated ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 standard combined ANSI/ISEA 107 with ANSI/ISEA 207 (high-visibility vests) to simplify garment selection. 

New garment Types based on work environment were introduced:

• Type O (Off-Road) – Performance Class 1

• Type R (Roadway) – Performance Class 2 or 3

• Type P (Public Safety) – Performance Class 2 or 3

To accommodate smaller-sized workers, the minimum material area for Type R (roadway and temporary traffic control zones) garments in Class 2 or 3 was reduced for the smallest sizes offered.

As a general rule of thumb, the images below show examples of HVSA that are considered acceptable and unacceptable. These images may not reflect the latest approved garments and are provided for reference only. It is good practice to keep HVSA clean and free of excessive dirt. HVSA may be laundered; however, always follow the manufacturer’s label for washing limits and replacement guidelines.