Stay safe at work during the dark winter days thanks to high visibility workwear.

The days are slowly getting longer again. Very slowly … So it remains important to be highly visible in the dark. Especially if you work on construction sites, traffic -, road construction and maintenance work, ports and airports, (large) production sites and factories, … high visibility workwear can make all the difference!

How does it work? The answer is simple: High visibility clothes put you - almost literally - in the spotlight! While the fluorescent material makes you stand out in daylight, mist and fog, the reflective tape keeps you protected at twilight and at night. Just like bicycle reflectors, this tape reflects the beam of car headlights, the lighting of a forklift,… Result: you are highly visible!

Hivis safety classes : the higher, the more visible

There are 3 classes of high visibility clothing. The more fluorescent and reflective material present in the garment, the higher the class and the visibility of the wearer.

Did you know that safety classes can differ based upon your size? For smaller sizes, less fabric is used and the surface of the fluorescent and reflective material is smaller!

Read more about these 3 safety classes at the bottom of this article and discover in which situations best to use them.

3 tips for high visibility safety workwear

Always wear your high visibility garments closed. It ensures maximum visibility and optimal protection.

Make sure that your high visibility workwear is always clean. It is advisable to wash safety garments in a professional laundry. Mind not to supersede the maximum wash cycles indicated in the garment in order not to compromise its reflective and fluorescent properties.

Would you like to personalise your safety workwear? Note that the printing or embroidering of high visibility clothing is subject to restrictions. Incorporating your company name or logo on your workwear reduces the reflective surface area. This process may jeopardise the certification of the garment. It is best to always check first with your safety advisor.

Looking for high visibility workwear? The DEFENSO SAFETY collection offers a wide range of products such as high visibility work trousers, high visibility parkas, high visibility body warmers,… Discover the complete collection safety workwear here.

High visibility safety apparel : choosing the right class

Professional workwear complying with the norm EN ISO 20471:2013 makes the wearer more visible both during the day, at twilight and at night. The international safety standard includes three different classes of high visibility workwear, also called high-visibility warning clothing, safety workwear, hivis or high-vis clothing, etc.

Class 3 high visibility clothing

Class 3 is the highest safety class. Consequently, it is recommended for every situation in which optimal visibility is crucial. Think about people working close to traffic (especially along busy roads), railway workers, rescue workers,…

Surface area of fluorescent material at least 0.80m²

Surface area of reflective material at least 0.20m²

Class 2 high visibility clothing

This class is suitable for work in twilight, in road construction, courier services,… and on public roads with a maximum traffic speed of 50 km/h. This safety class may also be worn by people supervising activities requiring class 3 warning clothing.

Surface area of fluorescent material at least 0.50m²

Surface area of reflective material at least 0.13m²

Class 1 high visibility clothing

Class 1 high visibility clothing can be used in situations with a low risk of collisions and accidents. When you are visiting a site where class 3 warning clothing is required, you may also wear this class. However remember that as a visitor, you must always be accompanied by people working on the site.

Surface area of fluorescent material at least 0.14m²

Surface area of reflective material at least 0.10m²