Hi-vis classes, explained without the jargon
The short version: Class 3 is the most visible and what roadside and rail work generally calls for, Class 2 covers a great deal of site and yard work, and Class 1 is the lowest level and rarely enough on its own. The important part is that the class is usually specified by the site or the principal contractor, not chosen by you.
EN ISO 20471
The standard
1 · 2 · 3
Classes, lowest to highest
Wash count
What ends its life
What the three classes mean
EN ISO 20471 grades a garment by how much fluorescent material and retroreflective tape it carries. More material and more tape means a higher class, which is why a vest and a full jacket are not the same thing even in the same colour.
| Class | Roughly means | Typically seen on |
|---|---|---|
| Class 3 | Highest visibility. Sleeves are part of the requirement, so it is normally a jacket or a long-sleeved garment rather than a vest. | Roadside, highways, rail, anywhere with fast-moving traffic or poor light. |
| Class 2 | Mid level. A well-made hi-vis vest or polo commonly sits here. | General construction sites, yards, warehouses with vehicle movements. |
| Class 1 | Lowest level. Rarely sufficient on its own for work near vehicles. | Low-risk settings, or worn as part of a combination that reaches a higher class together. |
Classes can also be combined — a Class 2 garment worn with another Class 2 garment can reach Class 3 as an outfit. Where that matters, the site will tell you, and it is worth having in writing rather than assumed.
Who actually decides which class you need
This is the part people get wrong. The class is not a preference and it is not something a supplier should be deciding for you — it comes out of the risk assessment for the work, and on most jobs it is set by the principal contractor or the client's site rules.
So the practical order is: ask the site what they require, then buy to that. Turning up in Class 2 on a job that specified Class 3 means people sent off site, and the cost of that dwarfs the price difference between the garments.
If nobody has specified anything and you are working near moving vehicles, most firms we supply default to Class 2 as a minimum and Class 3 for anything roadside.
Putting a logo on hi-vis
The hi-vis garments we supply are certified to EN ISO 20471. Print is normally the right method on them: it sits flat, adds no weight, and copes with the strong colours and fine detail that embroidery struggles with on a technical garment.
Placement is the part that matters. Logos go clear of the retroreflective bands and the fluorescent area — the parts doing the visibility work — so the garment carries your branding without compromising what it was bought for.
If the certification matters for a specific contract, check the requirement with whoever specified it before ordering a full team's worth. It is a five-minute conversation that prevents an expensive misunderstanding, and personalised garments cannot be returned.
Why hi-vis wears out differently
Ordinary workwear is retired when it looks tired. Hi-vis is different: what ends its working life is the number of times it has been washed, not how long you have owned it. Laundering degrades the fluorescence and the reflective banding, and a faded hi-vis is not doing the job it was bought for even if it is otherwise intact.
Two things follow from that. Buy enough that no single garment takes every wash — three per person rather than one. And keep hi-vis out of a hot wash with everything else, because the banding will not survive treatment the polos shrug off.
It also means hi-vis is a genuine running cost rather than a one-off purchase, which is worth building into a budget from the start.
Common questions
What class do I need?+
Ask the site or principal contractor — it comes from the risk assessment for the work, not from the trade. Roadside and rail work generally calls for Class 3; a great deal of site and yard work is Class 2.
Is a hi-vis vest enough?+
On many sites, yes. For roadside work it usually is not, because Class 3 normally requires sleeves. Where people live in and out of vans, a hi-vis polo means the visibility is on the person rather than on a vest left on a seat.
Can you put our logo on hi-vis?+
Yes, printed. Our hi-vis is certified to EN ISO 20471 and logos are placed clear of the retroreflective bands and the fluorescent area, so the garment still does the job it was bought for.
Is your hi-vis certified?+
Yes — the hi-vis garments we supply are certified to EN ISO 20471. If a site has specified a particular class, tell us when you order and we will confirm what the garment carries before anything is made.
How long does hi-vis last?+
It is governed by wash count rather than age. Once the fluorescent colour has faded or the banding has dulled, it is done — however new it looks otherwise.
How should hi-vis be washed?+
Separately from general workwear and not on a hot cycle. Follow the garment's own care label, because the banding is the part that fails first.
Can I mix hi-vis and normal workwear in one order?+
Yes, and most teams do — hi-vis for the people near vehicles, standard polos for everyone else. One order, one delivery, and the volume discount counts the lot.
Buying hi-vis for a team?
The hi-vis bundles carry polos, vests, trousers and a winter bomber, priced per head with the logo included. If a site has specified a class, tell us when you order and we will confirm what the garment carries before anything is made.
Not sure what your site has specified?
Send us the requirement and we will tell you which garments meet it before you order for the whole team.