EN 20471
EN ISO 20471 is a European standard that specifies the requirements and test methods for high-visibility protective clothing. This standard specifically applies to fluorescent and retroreflective materials to enhance the wearer’s visibility. The standard is internationally recognized as ISO 20471 and in Europe as EN ISO 20471.
Materials:
Materials:
Various materials are used in the manufacturing of high-visibility protective clothing to increase the wearer’s visibility. These materials help to reflect light and highlight the presence of the wearer.
Key materials include:
- Reflective: This component includes piping and reflective strips.
- Fluorescent: Typically, yellow and orange-red colors are used as Hi-Vis fabrics (High-Visibility fabrics).
- Retroreflective: The outer material is usually silver, white, or yellow. This material is particularly used in low light conditions or darkness, as it reflects light back to the light source.
The classification of high-visibility clothing is based on the minimum area of visible material:
- Class 3: Minimum area for background material: 0.80 m²; for retroreflective material: 0.20 m²; for combined materials: Not applicable.
- Class 2: Minimum area for background material: 0.50 m²; for retroreflective material: 0.13 m²; for combined materials: Not applicable.
- Class 1: Minimum area for background material: 0.14 m²; for retroreflective material: 0.10 m²; for combined materials: 0.20 m².
The classification is based on the smallest area of visible material. Combining different garments, such as jackets and trousers, can contribute to meeting the classification requirements.