Changes to high visibility clothing - the new EN 17353 standard for medium risks and differences with EN 20471

The European Union has decided that there should be two different standards for high visibility clothing, depending on the risk to the wearer (medium or high risk). 

Standard EN 20471 - for high risks

If the wearer is facing high risks, then clothing certified to EN 20471 should be worn. Such garments are for example shirts, vests, jackets, trousers or overalls that include a fluorescent fabric on the majority of the garment, combined with reflective strips. These garments allow the wearer to be distinguishable during the day and at night when illuminated by vehicle lights or electric torches.

Classes

The standard includes 3 classes with regard to distinctiveness and relates to the percentage of luminescent fabric and reflective strips that the garment should contain.

Marking

The corresponding icon of the standard is the following (for Class 2):            

User categories

One of the conditions requiring the use of EN 20471 clothing is, among others, passive road use. That is, the user needs to move between vehicles, but his attention is focused on a task. Some categories of users who need to wear EN 20471 certified clothing are: road sweepers, construction workers, construction site workers and visitors, rescue workers and airport workers.   

EN 17353 standard - for medium risk

The new EN 17353 standard is for medium risks and for activities that do not involve professional use but where a high degree of discretion is desirable.

Medium risks are, for example, active use of the road (e.g. cyclists) on roads with vehicles with a speed of up to 60 km/h or passive use of the road in places with vehicles with a speed of up to 15 km/h (e.g. car park employees). Other factors that determine the risk are weather conditions (e.g. rainfall or fog), the type of road and the need to be visible around the perimeter.

Categories

According to EN 17353, garments are divided according to their use and design as follows:

Type A ' - Daytime visibility only.

This includes garments such as shirts, vests, trousers and jackets which have a minimum percentage of luminescent fabric or reflective material in accordance with the standard. Examples are cyclists' shirts made of yellow fluorescent fabric (without reflective tapes).

'Type B ' - Distinctness in darkness only.

Category B is further divided into subcategories as follows:

• B1: concerns reflective accessories, such as 'badges' worn with a neck chain
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• B2-1: includes reflectors around the extremities, such as armbands
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• B2-2: concerns trousers with reflective tapes on the trouser legs only
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• B2-3: refers to long-sleeved garments with reflective tapes on the sleeves only
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• B3: includes vests, blouses, jackets or overalls, which will have minimal amounts of reflective material. For example, a work jacket that includes reflective tape on the sleeves, torso and back would fall into this category.

'Type' AB - Distinctness in daylight, low light conditions e.g. before sunrise and after sunset or darkness.

Garments in this category shall include phosphorescent fabric and reflective tapes or materials that include both (for example reflective tapes with thin strips of reflective fabric) for higher distinctiveness.

Marking

The icons of the standard are as follows:

Type A  

Type B  

Type AB  

Categories of users

In addition to non-professional users (such as cyclists) who would be well advised to wear high visibility garments with EN 17353 certification, some other categories of users include, but are not limited to: warehousemen, craft and industrial workers, engineers, petrol station attendants and tradesmen.

The advantage for manufacturers

The new standard allows greater flexibility for manufacturers of highly distinctive workwear in terms of design and finish. Especially for companies like Axion Cotton, where we manufacture workwear in 'bespoke' designs, i.e. according to our customers' wishes, the new standard essentially opens up new avenues for clothing proposals that will make your staff stand out.

The benefit for companies and users

For companies with staff who need to wear high visibility clothing for medium risk only, the benefits are manifold:

• Lower costs: garments with EN 20471 certification are generally more expensive than those with EN 17353 certification due to material costs. A company can save a lot of money on staff uniforms alone.
• Like other certifications for Personal Protective Equipment, EN 17353 offers the guarantees that your staff's garments comply with harmonised European legislation.
• As mentioned earlier, the standard allows for several variations in garment design to protect users while also highlighting corporate identity (branding).

For more information about high visibility garments with EN 17353 certification, please contact us. We will be happy to share our expertise with you and help you make the right choices for your business and staff.