ANSI Class 2 Vests

ANSI Class 2 high-visibility safety vests meet the ANSI/ISEA 107 standard's requirements for the minimum amount of fluorescent background material and retroreflective tape necessary for workers in vehicle traffic environments to be visible at sufficient distance during daylight and nighttime conditions. Class 2 vests are the minimum required garment for most highway construction, utility work, and roadside operations where workers are exposed to vehicle traffic at speeds up to 45 mph. WC Safety carries ANSI Class 2 vests from Radians, Pyramex, Safety Green, and Ergodyne in mesh, solid, and breakaway configurations for all highway and construction site applications.

ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 requirements specify a minimum of 775 square centimeters of fluorescent background material (fluorescent yellow-green or fluorescent orange-red) and 201 square centimeters of retroreflective tape in a configuration that creates a recognizable vest silhouette from the front and back. The retroreflective material must meet a minimum coefficient of retroreflection at specific angles, ensuring visibility from vehicle headlights at the distances required for safe stopping at legal highway speeds. Meeting these material and placement requirements is what distinguishes a true ANSI Class 2 garment from a casual safety vest that may use similar colors but not provide compliance-level visibility.

Mesh versus solid material selection affects comfort in different working conditions. Mesh vests provide substantially better airflow in hot environments, reducing heat stress for workers performing physical labor in summer roadway conditions. Solid polyester vests provide better windbreak and light rain resistance for use in cooler and wet conditions. For environments with both hot days and cool or rainy conditions, some workers use mesh vests in summer and solid vests as the temperature drops — maintaining ANSI compliance while optimizing comfort for actual conditions.

Closure type — zipper, breakaway, or velcro — affects both security and safety in specific applications. Zipper closures provide the most secure fit and are appropriate for general roadway work. Breakaway (release) closures are required by OSHA for workers in environments where a caught vest could create entrapment risk — traffic control personnel working near moving vehicle lanes, equipment operators who must exit quickly. Velcro closures offer quick donning and removal without the snag risk of zippers but provide less secure front closure in windy conditions.

Pocket configurations vary significantly across Class 2 vest models. Basic safety vests provide minimal storage. Premium models include chest pockets, lower side pockets, radio loops, pen holders, and ID card windows that reduce the need for additional tool belt pockets or jacket pocket access during active traffic control or inspection work. For workers who spend significant time in their vest, pocket accessibility and capacity directly affects work efficiency and comfort throughout the day.

Enhanced visibility accessories including a Class 2 vest's reflective tape pattern should follow the ANSI 107 specification for stripe placement — horizontal stripes across the torso and a single vertical stripe over the shoulder connecting front and rear horizontal stripes. This "H" pattern is the standard configuration that creates recognizable human silhouette visibility at highway speeds. Vests with isolated patches of reflective material that do not form the required circumferential pattern may not provide compliant visibility despite using reflective material.

WC Safety carries ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 safety vests in mesh, solid, and breakaway formats in fluorescent yellow-green and fluorescent orange-red, in sizes S through 5XL. Browse our Class 2 vest collection to find the right closure type, pocket configuration, and material for your specific traffic control and roadway work application.