Visibility and safety in the workplace
In many occupations, good visibility is essential for a safe work environment. When workers come into contact with vehicles, machinery or traffic, high-visibility workwear ensures that they are noticed in time. For this reason, the EN ISO 20471 standard was developed. This standard divides safety clothing into three classes. In this blog, we take a closer look at EN ISO 20471 Class 2.
What does EN ISO 20471 Class 2 mean?
EN ISO 20471 Class 2 constitutes the middle classification within the standard. Clothing in this class provides higher visibility than Class 1 and is intended for medium-risk work situations.
To comply with Class 2, safety clothing must have at least:
- 0.50 m² of fluorescent material
- 0.13 m² of reflective material
This is significantly more than Class 1 and makes the wearer stand out clearly in both daylight and artificial lighting at night.
Where is EN ISO 20471 Class 2 used?
Class 2 clothing is worn in environments where vehicles or machinery move at moderate speeds (up to about 50 mph). Examples of situations where Class 2 is appropriate:
- Road construction and maintenance work along slow-moving traffic
- Logistics work in outdoor areas
- Working around forklifts and other internal traffic flows
- Security work at business sites
This class is often used in occupations where visibility is crucial, but where the risk is not so high as to require maximum protection (Class 3).
Why is this standardization important?
Class 2 clothing offers significantly higher visibility than Class 1, increasing the safety of workers in dynamic or poorly lit environments. The higher amount of fluorescent and reflective material makes the wearer more readily identifiable, which can help prevent accidents.
