Explaining the Classes of an ANSI Safety Vest
SafetyGearOnline.com is proud to offer top quality safety gear for working professionals. We understand that different jobs and industries have different standards when it comes to safety apparel. That’s why we offer a full spectrum of safety vests certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). An ANSI safety vest can have one of three classifications: Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3. Each of the ANSI safety ratings are designed to help workers choose a proper vest for the job based on their working environment. Learn more about the ANSI safety vest classes below.
Class 1 ANSI Safety Vest
Class one vests are for workers whose job puts them at the lowest risk level. These would be jobs in areas where traffic is traveling at or below 25 mph, and work is taking place at a safe distance from a roadway. An example of this type of work would be sidewalk repair in a small residential neighborhood.
According to the ANSI in order for a vest to qualify as a Class 1 safety vest it must be one of the safety vest colors, either a safety yellow or safety orange, and have a minimum of 155 square inches of reflective tape. These reflective strips must go around the middle of the vest as well as over the shoulder. These ANSI safety vests are designed to cover the torso only and do not require sleeves.
An ANSI Class 2 safety vest is intended for working environments that pose a greater risk. This can include workers who are on a roadway where traffic is moving under 50 mph. These vests are larger than their class 1 counterparts because they require more high visibility and reflective areas to be present. A Class 2 vest must have at least 775 inches of safety yellow or safety orange back ground material and 201 square inches of reflective striping. These ANSI safety vests are commonly worn by survey crews, airport baggage handlers, and school crossing guards.
Class 3 jackets and vests are reserved for people working in the most dangerous environments where visibility is the highest priority. This includes roadways where traffic is traveling in excess of 50mph, but it can also apply to emergency personnel or tow truck operators working in blizzard or hurricane conditions where visibility is at a minimum.
ANSI Class 3 safety vests are the largest of the ANSI vests because they require the most background fabric and reflective striping. Because a class 3 vest requires a whopping 1,240 inches of safety yellow or safety orange background and 310 square inches of reflective striping, it often resembles a short sleeve t-shirt more than a traditional vest.
