Introduction:
Safety vests are essential components of personal protective equipment (PPE), designed to enhance visibility and protect workers in various environments. Understanding the differences among safety vest types and classes is crucial for selecting the appropriate gear for specific job situations. With regulations set by organizations like OSHA and ANSI, it’s important to be informed about the various standards to ensure the safety of workers in high-risk areas. This guide will break down the distinctions between Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 safety vests, helping you make the right choice for your needs.
Understanding Safety Vests
Three safety vest courses are designed for distinct scenarios. In virtually every safety circumstance, it’s fine to wear a vest greater than the work zone minimum.
What Are Safety Vest Types?
Safety vests have three “types,” each with three “classes.”
Level O safety vests for non-roadway work. Type O only has class 1 vests.
Type R roadway safety jackets. Type R has class 2 and 3 vests.
Type P: Police and first responder safety vests. Type P has class 2 and 3 vests.
This page focusses on Type O and Type R safety vests. This “type and class” approach applies to all HVSA (High Visibility Safety Apparel), including vests, pants, jumpsuits and jackets.
The 2020 ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 specification defined all safety clothing.
Definition of Class 1 Safety Vest.
This is easy. Class 1, the only HVSA Type O safety vest, contains the least recommended high-visibility material.
Class 1 Safety Vests protect low-risk locations. Work safely away from the active traffic, but an incident is possible. A safety yellow or orange backdrop and 155 square inches of reflective strips are required. Lightweight and sleeveless.
Class 1 safety vests are for non-highway work. It may be where traffic is 25 mph. According to ANSI, the workplace background should not be visually complicated.
These work circumstances may necessitate class 1 vests:
Parking attendants
Workers in oil, gas, extraction, and refineries include mineworkers.
Workers in warehouses
Shopping cart retrievers in parking lots
Minimum requirements for Class 1 (Type O) safety vests:
217 square inches (.14 square meters) of backdrop
155 sq in. (.10 sq m) Retroreflective orCombined-Performance Materials
Minimum 1 in (25mm) width for retroreflective materials
Definition of Class 2 Safety Vest.
HSVA Class 2 (Type R) safety vests have more standards. These vests are sleeveless like Class 1 (Type O).
On 25mph–50mph worksites, these vests are required by industry. Unlike class 1 safety vests, these are more visible day or night from farther away.
The wearer of class 2 vests is not specified, however type R (Class 2 and Class 3) vests include:
- School crossing guards
- Public transit/railway workers
- Operators toll
- Under-50mph road construction
- Airport tarmac workers
- Surveyors
Class 2 Safety Vests are bigger than Class 1 vests and contain more backdrop material. Class 2 vests must contain 775 square inches of safety yellow or orange background material. The vest must have 201 square inches of reflective (Reflective or Combined-Performance Materials) striping. For roads and traffic zones under 50 mph, these are needed.
Minimum requirements for Class 2 (Type R) safety vests:
775 sq in. (.50 sq m) backdrop and 540 sq in. (.35 sq m) for tiny vests.
201 square inches (.13 square meters) of retroreflective or combined-performance materials.
Minimum 1.38 in (35mm) width for Retroreflective Materials and 1 in (25mm) for split trim design. Split trim is covered later in this text.
Definition of Class 3 Safety Vest.
Class 1 and 2 HSVA safety vests have lower material requirements than Class 3 (Type R). The industry recommends Class 3 safety vests for places with traffic above 50 mph.
Class 3 Safe The most dangerous locations require vests for visibility. Class 3 vests have the most background and retroreflective striping. These vests often feature sleeves. These vests must have 1,240 square inches of safety yellow or orange background and 310 square inches of reflective striping.
Workers that may need Class 3 vests:
Tow truck drivers
Investigators at the scene
Roadbuilders (50mph+)
Roadside help
Utility workers’ Class 3 (Type R) safety jackets must have the following:
1240 sq in. (.80 sq m) backdrop and 1000 sq in. (.65 sq m) for tiny vests.
Retroreflective or Combined-Performance Materials: 310 sq in.
Minimum 2 in (50mm) width for Retroreflective Materials and 1 in (25mm) for split trim design.
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Safety Vest Materials
Safety vests in all ANSI classes must include two materials. Background and retroreflective/performance material.
Background and retroreflective/performance material. Safety orange or yellow fluorescent cloth forms the background. It’s the brightly coloured mesh or cloth you associate with safety vests. The material is particularly noticeable throughout the day.
Safety vests with retro reflective stripes. Retro reflective and reflective operate differently, although people commonly misunderstand them.
An angled mirror bounces light in the opposite direction. Retroreflective reflects light back at the source. Direction lights like automobile headlights make this material noticeable at night. Silver, white, and grey retroreflective tape are common.
All these materials must fulfil ANSI requirements.
Vest Label
Your safety vest label should provide most of the necessary information:
Type: Class FR rating and test method ARC rating if relevant
The vest satisfies ANSI size criteria.
Care instructions. Many vests have a wash limit.
What Do Safety Vest Colours Mean?
OSHA does not regulate vest colours, however some operate better in certain circumstances. Orange vests are great for greenery, blue skies, and golden sunlight. Orange vests look good in open spaces, especially during the day.
When sunshine is scarce, neon yellow safety vests are ideal for night work since they stand out against dark backgrounds. Construction workers, emergency responders, and utility workers wear yellow vests.
In general, select the most obvious colour for each situation. Learn safety vest colour information here.
Cost of Safety Vests
Vests may cost anything from a few dollars for simple designs to several hundred dollars for reflective tape and many functions, depending on the seller. Class 1 vests are the cheapest since they have the least safety material. Prices rise as material needs increase.
Flame and tear-resistant vests cost more than others.
Optional Vest Features
Many workplaces mandate certain characteristics on safety vests of any class. Safety vest makers can choose from six flame-resistant ANSI standards. The vest label lists the test technique.
Arc-rated PPE protects workers against electrical arc flashes. A safety vest alone won’t protect you. Electrically hazardous workplaces require comprehensive Arc Rated PPE.
Waterproof and water-resistant choices are for wet tasks. Workers can choose a vest with waterproof and breathable properties. These characteristics must fulfil ASTM and AATCC criteria.
The backdrop material of your safety vest might be tear-resistant provided it fulfils ASTM specifications. This functionality is seldom used.
Some trades demand vests with specialised compartments for specific things or transparent pockets for ID or credentials. Dual pockets and grommet holes for flagging tape are further pocket characteristics.
Workers may be required to wear vests with printed IDs, writing, or logos. The vest’s backdrop material cannot accommodate more than 72 sq in. (465 sq cm) of non-contrasting graphics. Contrasting graphics cannot take up more than 22 sq in. (142 sq cm) on the vest backdrop.
Hook & Loop Break-Away: If a vest gets caught in equipment, it breaks off the worker instead than pulling them in. Sides and shoulders have hook-and-loop strips for simple breakaway.
Mic Tabs: Vests may have shoulder straps for radios or speaker microphones.
Nothing should be worn over a safety vest, including a fall prevention harness. A fall prevention vest has a back cutout for a D-ring.
Options for speciality safety vests include:
Modacrylic: A lightweight, flame- and chemical-resistant safety vest was unavailable years ago. Instead of polyester safety vests, modacrylic is the new backdrop fabric. As usual, new costs more.
Safety Vest for Surveyors: These Class 2 and Class 3 vests are feature-packed. Features include zippers, mic tabs, tool grommets, and several specialised compartments.
MTA – NYCTA Safety Vest: MTA and NYCTA workers must wear these vests. Retroreflective tape is their most prominent characteristic. The NYCTA has strict requirements for this tape.
Understanding the classes is one thing, but picking the optimal class-rated vest for your team requires considering your jobsite. For any location, a Class 3 Vest is fine—more visibility is always good.
Consider visibility at your work location, how distant your personnel are from high-speed vehicles, and if there are physical obstacles. Class 2 vests are great for utility jobs and volunteering but not flagging. A Class 3 vest is excessive for a gardener but critical for incident response, especially at night. Class 1 vests are never suitable for high-speed highways.
Choose a colour that distinguishes the worker from the environment. Safety yellow and orange won’t stand out in bright yellow or light green environments, or in sand or deserts.
As with all PPE, adequate maintenance is crucial. Sunlight, dirt, and frequent use can fade and wipe away the vests’ reflective characteristics. Average daily-wear vests last six months, but moderate use might last three. Replace ripped, unclean, soiled, worn, or faded vests before coming on-site.
Beyond the Vest: Work Zone Visibility Tips
The right class-rated vests provide visibility and coverage on the job, but you can do more to safeguard your workers in traffic-heavy work zones.
Create and share site plans with employees. Create and follow internal and exterior traffic-control strategies that account for each worksite, traffic, and workers.
Be sure the area is well-lit day and night. Even throughout the day, shadows might obscure your workers, so use temporary illumination.
Use channelling devices to keep traffic away from workers and around workspaces. Drivers are warned with cones, drums, barriers, pavement markings, and movable signs.
Consider intrusion devices that alarm when equipment and vehicles deviate from traffic routes. They can notify personnel who may not observe the breach.
Inform your employees on workplace hazards, response methods, and general or site-specific processes. They learn about construction equipment operator blind areas, how to handle heavy equipment, and how to handle emergencies.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, selecting the right safety vest is a critical aspect of workplace safety, especially in environments where visibility is paramount. By understanding the classifications and requirements of Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 vests, employers can ensure that their workers are equipped with the appropriate protection. Remember to consider the specific conditions of your worksite, the types of hazards present, and the necessary visibility for safety. By prioritizing the right safety gear, you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and enhance overall workplace safety.
