What is ANSI 107?

When selecting high-visibility safety apparel such as shirts, rainwear, outerwear, safety vests, headwear, and other high-visibility accessories, ANSI/ISEA 107 provides reliable guidelines for proper selection and use.

ANSI/ISEA 107 is an industry regulation established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) that establishes garment design requirements for multiple Garment Types, and five different Performance Classes within those Garment Types. ANSI/ISEA 107 offers performance specifications applicable to construction, maintenance, utility, emergency responders, airport ramp personnel, and many categories of off-road workers. The standard was created to keep workers safe if wearing low visibility clothing on the job would expose them to potential injury. It also provides performance testing criteria for the materials used to make the garments.

Garments not tested to meet Flame Resistant performance criteria of standards listed in ANSI require non-FR labelling.

Watch Tyndale’s Vice President of Technical, Scott Margolin, explain the importance of the ANSI/ISEA 107 standard:

To expand on Scott’s explanation of ANSI 107 we’ve provided details below on each Type and Class outlined by the standard. Did you know that today the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration requires nearly all workers on or near a highway to wear garments that comply with the standard? To identify the particular high-visibility garment Type and Class workers are required to wear, reference the following:

Types

• Type “O” (Off-Road): These garments are specifically designed for occupational workers. These workers are not always required to wear high visibility safety apparel but may still work in an environment with moving equipment/vehicles. Type O features a single Performance Class (Class 1).
• Type “R” (Roadway): The workers who require Type “R” garments are referred to as occupational workers who are exposed to roadway traffic and work in environments with moving equipment/vehicles. Type R offers a Performance Class 2 and Class 3.
• Type “P” (Public Safety): These garments give additional options for fire, police officers, and EMS personnel who are exposed to potential hazards that requirement them access to high visibility equipment. Type P has a Performance Class 2 and Class 3 for public safety with Class 3 garments requiring more background and retroreflective material.
• Supplemental Items – Class E
  • Adding Class E leg wear to a Class 2 vest or shirt creates a class 3 ensemble
  • Leg wear can include leg gaiters, pants, coveralls, and bib overalls

Classes

• Class I: These garments are intended for workers who have ample separation from vehicular traffic that does not exceed 25 mph. Class I garments are often safety vests; they are recommended for parking service attendants, workers in warehouses with equipment traffic, shopping cart retrievers, sidewalk maintenance workers, and delivery vehicle drivers.
• Class II: Class II garments are for users who need greater visibility in poor weather conditions and whose activities occur near roadways where traffic speeds exceed 25 mph. This class of garment is suitable for railway workers, school crossing guards, parking and toll gate personnel, airport ground crews, and law enforcement personnel directing traffic.
• Class III: Class III garments provide the highest level of visibility to workers in high-risk environments that involve high task loads, a wide range of weather conditions and traffic exceeding 50 mph. Class III garments provide coverage to the arms and/or legs as well as the torso, and can include pants, jackets, coveralls, or rain wear. The standard recommends all roadway construction personnel and vehicle operators, utility workers, survey crews, emergency responders, railway workers, and accident site investigators wear these garments.