EN ISO 20471 high-visibility clothing
Darkness and poor visibility are big risk factors when working outside. In particular, dangerous situations in road traffic, such as at roadworks, are frequently underestimated. And around railway tracks, at airports and around ports, good visibility is a top priority.
Definition of levels of risk
Standard DIN EN ISO 20471 does not differentiate between professional and non-professional use. It is concerned generally with all hazardous situations where there is a danger of not being seen and exclusively with warning clothing for high risk scenarios. The clothing is subdivided into classes 1, 2 and 3.
Material | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
Background material | 0,14 m2 | 0,50 m2 | 0,80 m2 |
Retroreflective material | 0,10 m2 | 0,13 m2 | 0,20 m2 |
Retroreflective material | 0,20 m2 | n.a. | n.a. |
Design
The recognisable shape of the human body is emphasised. Fluorescent material and horizontal reflective stripes should encircle the torso and, when available, trouser legs and sleeves. Products in class 3 must encircle the torso and have either sleeves with reflective stripes or long trouser legs with reflective stripes.
Therefore warning vests or warning dungarees may not be certified individually for class 3. A reflective stripe around the stomach of a warning pair of dungarees is not taken into account in the calculation. Clear combinations of horizontal and vertical retroreflective stripes offer the best visual contrast against most backgrounds. Excessive diagonal features and unclear shapes must be avoided. Combinations of clothing, for example a high-visibility jacket with high-visibility trousers, can be certified by DIN EN ISO 20471.
Piktogramm
Labelling is with the pictogram and the class 1, 2 or 3.
In addition, the instructions for using the item of clothing should contain the information that the service life of the product is not determined solely by the number of cleaning cycles, but also by its use, care and storage.
Reflective band
The Reflective Material has been designed for use on high-visibility clothing, workwear and professional clothing to improve the visibility of the wearer when it is dark or visibility is poor. The material shines a brilliant white when illuminated by vehicle headlights, even if the wearer is at the edge of the road. Reflective Material is composed of exposed retroreflective lenses bonded to a durable blended fabric (65% polyester / 35% cotton). It far exceeds the minimum retroreflective performance required by the highest category (class 3). Its retroreflective properties are not dependent on the direction the clothing is facing