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  4. ISO 20471 class 3 standard: signaling clothing

ISO 20471 class 3 standard: signaling clothing

The new ISO 20471 standard has been in force since 2013 to replace the old EN 471 standard. Like the latter, it defines the characteristics that high-visibility clothing used in a professional setting must have. They allow users to be visible and safe in dangerous situations such as for the construction and public works professions or even during temporary danger for emergency services on the highway for example. The objective is to properly frame the design and use of these signaling garments. As Category 2 PPE, class 2 fluorescent yellow jackets or vests must highlight the presence of their user in risky situations where the lighting is quite weak or almost absent.

The difference between ISO 20471 and EN 471

In the ISO 20471 standard, only the value X is taken into account. It indicates the class in which the high-visibility clothing is located. The Y value of the old EN 471 standard is no longer taken into account. The reason is that the most important thing about a signaling garment is the reflective property at night and the fluorescent capacity under daylight.

The ISO 20471 standard also requires manufacturers to write on the high visibility garment the maximum number of washes supported by retroreflective and fluorescent materials.

The ISO 20471 standard only includes the value X: what does that mean?

If previously, with the EN 471 standard, high visibility clothing was characterized by two values ​​(X and Y), now, with the ISO 20471 standard, there is only one type of performance. This is the area of ​​fluorescent and retroreflective fabrics.

The importance of the fluorescent material lies in the fact that it ensures the daytime visibility of the wearer of the signaling garment. It has the function of converting ultraviolet light which is invisible light into visible light. Added to this is the brightness ratio between the light parts and the dark parts of the environment, which is also played on the color of the material (yellow, orange or red-orange).

The importance of the retroreflective material relates to the nighttime visibility of the wearer of the high visibility garment. Whether in semi-darkness or in complete darkness, as soon as a light source is projected onto the material, it is immediately reflected.

The design of high visibility clothing according to ISO 20471 Class 3

In the ISO 20471 standard, there are three classes (class 1, 2 and 3) of high visibility clothing which are defined according to the surface of the fluorescent and retroreflective materials.

For Class 3, the area of ​​reflective material must be 0.80 m². As for the reflecting surface, it must be 0.20 m². Compared to Class 1, there is a big difference, because in it the reflective area is 0.14 m² and the retroreflective one is 0.10 m².

In addition, the fluorescent material must have a distribution of 50% on the front side and 50% on the back side. However, the ISO 20471 standard tolerates a difference of 10% between the two sides.