Protech

High-Visibility Garment Area & Class Check (EN ISO 20471)

Tape sewn onto fluorescent fabric covers it. A vest with enough of both materials can still drop a class.

Fluorescent Fabric Background material
m²

All fluorescent outer fabric on the garment, front, back and sleeves, measured flat on the size you are checking. The smallest size has the least.

m²

Non-fluorescent prints, badges, pockets, zips and pen holders sewn over the fluorescent fabric.

Retroreflective Tape Bands & braces
m

All bands added together: torso hoops, braces over the shoulders, sleeve and leg bands.

mm
%

100 when every band sits on fluorescent fabric. Lower when some bands sit on a dark contrast panel or trouser fabric.

Class the Garment Reaches by Area

— class

The lower of the two material classes; 0 means below Class 1

Areas & Classes

Visible Fluorescent Background
— m²
Retroreflective Area
— m²
Class by Background Area
— class
Class by Retroreflective Area
— class
Background Still Needed for Class 3
— m²
Tape Length for Class 3 at This Width
— m
Fluorescent Fabric Covered by Tape
— m²
Visible Background in Square Inches
— in²
Retroreflective Area in Square Inches
— in²

Minimum visible areas per EN ISO 20471:2013+A1:2016, section 4.1: background (fluorescent) material 0.14, 0.50 and 0.80 m² and retroreflective material 0.10, 0.13 and 0.20 m² for Classes 1, 2 and 3. The garment takes the lower of the two classes. The tape length for Class 3 counts only the retroreflective minimum; adding tape on fluorescent fabric also takes away background, which the result above it shows. Square inches are given because ANSI/ISEA 107 in the United States states its minimums in square inches; its garment types, classes and size allowances are its own and are not checked here. A class also needs fabric that passes the colour and luminance requirements, tape that passes retroreflection before and after washing, and bands placed as the standard requires; certification is by a notified body testing the garment. **This is a design check only.** It does not certify a garment.

High-Visibility Garment Area & Class Check (EN ISO 20471) — free, with the formula and a worked example, at Textile School.