What Is ANSI/ISEA 107-2020? High-Visibility Apparel Explained

ansi/isea 107-2020: the short answer

Short answer: Every year, roadway construction workers and utility crews are struck by vehicles in work zones — and a significant portion of those incidents involve workers wearing inadequate or non-compliant high-visibility apparel. The American National Standard ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 eliminates that ambiguity by specifying exactly how much fluorescent material and retroreflective striping a garment must provide

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 High-Visibility Apparel: Performance Classes, Types, and OSHA Requirements Explained

Published May 19, 2026 · Last updated July 9, 2026

Every year, roadway construction workers and utility crews are struck by vehicles in work zones — and a significant portion of those incidents involve workers wearing inadequate or non-compliant high-visibility apparel. The American National Standard ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 eliminates that ambiguity by specifying exactly how much fluorescent material and retroreflective striping a garment must provide at each hazard level. If you are a safety manager specifying PPE for a road crew, a procurement team sourcing vests for warehouse personnel, or a contractor complying with FHWA MUTCD requirements, this guide gives you the complete technical and regulatory framework for selecting, verifying, and maintaining compliant hi-vis apparel.

High-visibility apparel works through two independent mechanisms: fluorescent background material provides daytime conspicuity by absorbing UV and re-emitting visible light at intensities that exceed natural reflectance; retroreflective striping returns vehicle headlight beams directly to the driver during low-light and nighttime conditions. ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 quantifies the minimum acceptable performance of both mechanisms across three protection classes and three performance types, with specific photometric thresholds tested under laboratory conditions. Browse our full safety vests collection for garments meeting current ANSI 107-2020 requirements.

What Is ANSI/ISEA 107-2020?

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 is the current edition of the American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Accessories, published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). It supersedes ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 and prior editions dating to the original ANSI 107-1999. The 2020 edition is the version currently referenced in FHWA procurement guidance, most state DOT specifications, and OSHA enforcement correspondence.

The standard covers: vests, jackets, coveralls, pants, shirts, and shorts; accessories including hard hat covers, gloves, headwear, and sleeves; background material performance (fluorescence, luminance factor); retroreflective material performance (coefficient of retroreflection Ra per ASTM E810); combined-performance (CP) material specifications; 25-cycle wash durability testing; and labeling requirements including class, type, and standard year.

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 is a voluntary consensus standard — ANSI does not enforce it. Enforcement authority rests with OSHA (General Duty Clause and specific PPE standards), FHWA (MUTCD for Federal-aid highway projects), and state DOTs. Products claiming 107-2020 compliance that do not meet photometric thresholds expose employers to General Duty Clause citations and product liability risk.

The Three Performance Classes: Minimum Material Areas

Class 1 is appropriate only where workers are separated from vehicle traffic by barriers or vehicle speeds are very low. Parking lot attendants on private property, warehouse workers in non-forklift zones, and survey crews working entirely off the road shoulder may use Class 1. It is not acceptable for any Federal-aid highway right-of-way environment.

Class 2 is the most frequently specified class in U.S. work zones and the FHWA MUTCD minimum for most roadway workers. OSHA General Duty Clause enforcement for roadway-adjacent work typically targets Class 2 as the minimum acceptable level. Class 2 vests are the standard procurement choice for the vast majority of construction and road maintenance applications.

Class 3 is required for the highest-risk environments: flaggers directing traffic at highway speeds, workers in poor-visibility conditions (fog, rain, darkness), and workers needing to be seen from greater distances. A vest alone generally cannot meet Class 3 minimums because the background area requirement of 1,240 square inches typically requires a jacket combined with pants or full coveralls.

Performance Types: O, R, and P Defined

Overlaid on the class system, ANSI 107-2020 defines three performance types describing the intended work environment:

• Type O (Off-Road): For environments without public road vehicle traffic — warehouses, construction sites without adjacent roadways, parking facilities, sports venues. Type O garments must meet Class 1 minimums but Class 2 Type O is common in forklift-active facilities.
• Type R (Roadway): The standard for workers in public road right-of-way. All FHWA-required hi-vis apparel must be Type R. Highway construction crews, utility workers, and flaggers wear Class 2 or 3 Type R.
• Type P (Public Safety): For law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel who need high visibility but may need to rapidly remove the garment. Type P uses breakaway or hook-and-loop closures and must meet Class 2 or 3 requirements.

Always specify both class and type when procuring roadway apparel. "Class 2 Type R" is a complete specification. "Class 2" alone does not confirm roadway suitability for MUTCD enforcement purposes.

Allowed Colors and Photometric Performance

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 allows three background material colors, each with defined photometric thresholds measured per ASTM E1925 and CIE 15:

• Fluorescent Yellow-Green: Highest daytime conspicuity under photopic conditions. Preferred by many DOTs and safety programs for consistent contrast against diverse backgrounds year-round.
• Fluorescent Orange-Red: Traditional roadway and construction color. Strong contrast in low-vegetation environments; may blend with autumn foliage.
• Fluorescent Red: Permitted but less common. Used in some public safety and emergency response contexts.

Retroreflective material must achieve a minimum coefficient of retroreflection (Ra) of at least 330 cd·lx−¹·m−² at 0° observation angle (per ASTM E810) and must maintain those values after 25 wash cycles per ANSI 107 Annex B. This wash-durability requirement eliminates inexpensive iron-on tape that peels after a few laundry cycles.

OSHA, FHWA, and MUTCD Enforcement Framework

OSHA does not have a dedicated general industry hi-vis standard. Employers must conduct a written PPE hazard assessment under 29 CFR 1910.132, document hazards requiring hi-vis protection, and select garments matching the applicable ANSI 107-2020 class. Failing to complete the written assessment is itself citable under 1910.132(d).

Garment Selection Decision Table

Label Verification Requirements Under ANSI 107-2020 Section 11

Every compliant garment must carry a permanent label stating: (1) ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 standard designation; (2) performance class (Class 1, 2, or 3); (3) performance type (O, R, or P); (4) manufacturer name or trademark; (5) garment size; and (6) care and maintenance instructions. Labels referencing only earlier editions (107-2004, 107-2010, 107-2015) should be replaced with 2020-compliant garments on new procurements. FHWA contracting officers and OSHA compliance officers verify label year during inspections.

Flame-Resistant Hi-Vis Garments: When Both Standards Apply

Workers in petrochemical, electrical utility, and pipeline environments may be simultaneously exposed to arc flash or flash fire hazards and vehicle traffic. They need garments satisfying both ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 and either NFPA 2112 (flash fire) or ASTM F1506 (arc flash). FR hi-vis garments must pass wash-durability testing for both flame-resistance and retroreflective properties independently. A standard non-FR vest worn over an FR base layer does not create a compliant FR hi-vis ensemble — the outer garment controls visibility class compliance and must independently be FR-rated.

Inspection and Replacement Criteria

ANSI 107-2020 mandates 25-cycle wash durability, but field use degrades materials faster. Establish these inspection intervals:

• Before each use: Check for soiling on fluorescent panels, peeling retroreflective tape, and tears reducing visible area.
• Monthly: Assess fluorescent fading against a new reference garment. Notably faded garments must be replaced.
• After 25 wash cycles or 6 months of regular use: Replace retroreflective tape showing crazing, peeling, or delamination. Replace whole garment if background cannot be cleaned to near-original luminance.
• Immediately: Remove any garment with fully non-adhered retroreflective tape or background panels that appear gray or beige rather than vivid fluorescent.

For replacement options, browse ANSI 107 Class 2 vests on Amazon Check Price on Amazon → or Class 3 hi-vis jackets on Amazon Check Price on Amazon →.

Related PPE for Complete Work Zone Programs

Hi-vis apparel addresses conspicuity but does not address the full range of roadway hazards. Pair appropriate ANSI 107-2020 garments with:

• Hard hats — ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 Type I or II, Class E for sites with electrical hazards
• Safety glasses — ANSI Z87.1 rated for impact and UV exposure
• Hearing protection — required where equipment noise exceeds 85 dBA TWA per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95
• Safety gloves — appropriate for material handling and cut hazards
• Disposable N95 respirators — for silica dust and general construction particulates
• Face shields — for grinding, chipping, and concrete operations
• Cut-resistant gloves — for utility and construction material handling tasks

See our guide on understanding NIOSH respirator safety standards for respiratory protection decisions in roadway work environments, and our ANSI/ISEA 105 cut resistance guide for glove selection.

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Related reference guides

• Hi-vis color meaning — fluorescent yellow-green vs orange-red.

Why trust this page?

Why trust this page? Every figure on it is taken from the published text of the standard or the manufacturer document named beside it, not from a secondary summary. WC Safety is an independent PPE review site: we hold no inventory and sell nothing directly, so there is no product we need this page to favour. Where sources disagree, the page says so and plans on the more conservative figure rather than picking one.

Who wrote and reviewed this

By Steven Eaton, WC Safety Editorial. Reviewed against the primary sources cited on this page at each update. Steven Eaton is the editor of WC Safety and holds no safety certifications; this page reports what the standards say and is not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional on your specific exposure.

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Methodology. Figures are read from the primary source and re-checked whenever the underlying standard or a manufacturer document changes. No laboratory testing is performed for this page. Where a figure is not published, the page states that rather than estimating it, because a plausible invented number is more dangerous than an absent one.

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More questions on this topic

What class is required for highway road work?

FHWA MUTCD Section 6D.03 requires Class 2 Type R as the minimum for workers within the right-of-way of Federal-aid highways. Flaggers must wear Class 2 or 3. Night work and high-speed roads above 55 mph typically require Class 3.

What are Performance Types O, R, and P?

Type O is for off-road environments. Type R is for public roadway right-of-way work required by FHWA. Type P is for public safety personnel (police, fire, EMS) who may need to rapidly remove the garment.

What colors are allowed under ANSI 107-2020?

Fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, and fluorescent red are the three allowed background colors. Retroreflective material must be silver/white retroreflective meeting minimum Ra values per ASTM E810.

How often should hi-vis vests be replaced?

ANSI 107-2020 does not specify a mandatory replacement interval, but garments should be replaced when retroreflective tape peels or cracks, fluorescent panels fade significantly, or visible material area drops below class minimums. Inspect before each use.

What is combined-performance (CP) material?

CP material integrates fluorescent background and retroreflective functions into a single fabric layer. It must meet photometric requirements for both daytime luminance and nighttime retroreflectivity simultaneously. Common in Class 3 and FR hi-vis garments.

Is ANSI 107-2020 required by OSHA for all workers?

No single OSHA standard mandates ANSI 107 for all employers. Enforcement comes via the General Duty Clause, 29 CFR 1910.132 PPE assessments, and 29 CFR 1926.201 for construction flaggers. FHWA mandates it for Federal-aid highway workers.

What is the MUTCD enforcement date for hi-vis requirements?

FHWA made ANSI 107 Class 2 mandatory for Federal-aid highway workers on November 24, 2008, when the 2009 MUTCD took effect. All Federal-aid highway contracts since that date must enforce this requirement.

Can a hi-vis vest be worn over a winter jacket?

Yes, provided the outer hi-vis vest achieves the required minimum material areas without obstruction. Tool belts, harnesses, or backpack straps that cover retroreflective stripes may reduce effective visible area below class minimums.

What is the minimum retroreflective area for Class 3?

Class 3 requires at minimum 310 square inches (2,000 cm2) of retroreflective material. This typically requires a full jacket or jacket-plus-pants combination because a vest alone cannot achieve the required area.

Is yellow or orange hi-vis better?

Both are ANSI 107-approved. Research shows fluorescent yellow-green has higher daytime conspicuity across diverse backgrounds year-round. Orange-red is traditional for construction. Either meets ANSI 107 unless your jurisdiction or employer specifies a preferred color.

Do Class 2 requirements apply in warehouse/forklift operations?

OSHA does not mandate a specific class for forklift-pedestrian environments, but Class 2 Type O is the consensus recommendation in OSHA guidance documents and NIOSH hazard alerts for powered industrial truck operations. Employers should document their PPE hazard assessment under 1910.132.