EN ISO 20471: European standard for High Visibility clothing
High visibility high visibility clothing must comply with the European standard EN ISO 20471. This standard is divided into classes depending on the degree of visibility/reflectivity.
EN ISO 20471 has replaced EN 471
The former EN 471 has now been replaced by EN ISO 20471. The main difference is that the new requirements are better aligned to practice. A number of quality requirements have also been tightened in this new standard for reflective clothing: only reflective tapes of the highest quality may be used in accordance with the new standard. The material is also tested for durability and waterproofness.
The main differences between EN ISO 20471 and EN 471
During the revision of the high visibility standard, a number of safety features have been tightened:
- The test of the color fastness of the cloth is no longer only done on the new cloth, but is also tested again after at least 5 washes
- Garments in class 3 can only be certified if the upper body is equipped with reflective strips and fluorescent cloth. This includes the sleeves and/or the trouser legs.
- The installation instructions for reflective tapes and fluorescent cloth have been adjusted. This indicates where and how the materials should be applied to the garment. The total encirclement of the torso, arms and legs must ensure increased visibility from all points of view. The distribution of these materials over the front and back of the clothing is 50 with a maximum deviation of 10%.
- In the old standards the fluorescent material or reflective material already had to meet strict requirements regarding color fastness, reflection, luminance factor, sweat fastness, tear resistance and strength. This now also applies to the contrast material. The use of icons for standards has been adjusted.
Use of color in high visibility work clothing
High visibility clothing is available in three different colors:
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
The different classes
High Visibility work clothing is classified into three different classes according to EN ISO 20471. These classes indicate what level of protection the reflective clothing has for different situations:
EN ISO 20471 - Class 1
Class 1 Hi-Vis clothing can be used in situations with a low risk of collision and accident. High Visibility work clothing from class 1 is not suitable for working on public roads, but it is for extra visibility within the company. For example traffic controllers who mainly work in daylight and are exposed to a maximum local traffic speed of 30 km/hour.
EN ISO 20471 - Class 2
Class 2 work clothing ensures good visibility in road construction, courier services and work in dim light. High Visibility work clothing from class 2 is suitable for working along public roads at a maximum local traffic speed of 50 km/hour.
EN ISO 20471 - Class 3
When working in the dark, it is mandatory to wear High Visibility work clothing from class 3. Class 3igh Visibility work clothing is suitable for work situations with on-site traffic speeds of 90 km/h. Optimal visibility in these types of situations greatly reduces the risk of accidents.
Reflection surface per class
| 1st Class | Class 2 | Class 3 | |
| Fluorescent material | 0.14 m² | 0.50 m² | 0.80 m² |
| Reflective material | 0.10 m² | 0.13 m² | 0.20 m² |
Combined certification
Work clothing can also be provided with a combined certification. This involves looking at the combination of garments and the amount of reflective material present in the combination. As a result the work clothing can sometimes be classified in a higher class. However, this class only applies to the combination of garments and not to the individual items.
Clean or wash High Visibility clothing
Work clothing with standard EN ISO 20471 requires special maintenance. The clothing must be cleaned (washed and dried) in a professional manner. If this is not done by professionals, it is detrimental to the quality of the clothing and also to the reflection.
Want to buy High Visibility Workwear?
At Unishore Workwear we offer an extensive collection of High Visibility Workwear. See below for the different categories