Hi-Vis Safety Apparel: ANSI Class 2 vs Class 3 Explained

If you're responsible for outfitting construction crews, road workers, or warehouse teams, understanding ANSI hi-vis classifications isn't optional — it's a compliance requirement. Choosing the wrong class can mean failed inspections, safety violations, or worse.

This guide breaks down the difference between ANSI Class 2 and Class 3, shows you exactly which garments meet each standard, and helps you choose the right hi-vis apparel for your team. We cover all 18 hi-vis SKUs we currently customize — t-shirts, long sleeves, vests, hoodies, and rain/insulated jackets — across both classes.

What is ANSI/ISEA 107?

ANSI/ISEA 107 is the American National Standard for high-visibility safety apparel. Published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), it defines how much fluorescent material and retroreflective tape a garment must have to keep workers visible in hazardous environments.

Compliance is mandatory under OSHA regulations for workers exposed to traffic or moving equipment — including construction zones, roadways, airports, railyards, and utility work sites. The standard defines three performance classes based on the level of visibility required.

ANSI Class 2 — Standard Visibility

Class 2 garments provide moderate visibility and are designed for environments where traffic speeds are under 25 mph or where workers need to be distinguished from the background during daytime. Common use cases:

• Warehouse and distribution centers
• Parking lots and loading docks
• Low-speed traffic areas
• Indoor facilities with vehicle traffic (forklifts, carts)

Class 2 requires a minimum of 775 sq inches of fluorescent material and 201 sq inches of reflective tape.

ANSI Class 3 — Maximum Visibility

Class 3 provides the highest level of visibility and is required wherever workers face high-speed traffic, low-light conditions, or complex visual backgrounds. This includes:

• Highway and road construction
• Utility work near high-speed traffic
• Emergency response and flagging operations
• Night work or low-visibility conditions

Class 3 requires a minimum of 1,240 sq inches of fluorescent material and 310 sq inches of reflective tape — significantly more coverage than Class 2, including sleeves.

ANSI Class 3 Outerwear — Hoodies, Jackets & Rain Gear

For year-round safety-critical crews, t-shirts and vests aren't enough. The four pieces below cover ANSI Class 3 compliance from cold-weather fleece up through full-on weatherproof parkas — same hi-vis fluorescent body and reflective tape coverage, just heavier construction for outdoor exposure.

All four outerwear pieces meet the same ANSI Class 3 fluorescent and reflective-tape requirements as the t-shirts above. The choice is about insulation level and weather exposure, not visibility — they're all equally compliant at any speed, day or night.

Quick Comparison: All Hi-Vis Products

Model	ANSI Class	Type	Sleeve	From
CS204	Class 2	T-Shirt	Short	$45
CS206	Enhanced Vis	T-Shirt	Short	$32
CS401LS	Class 2	T-Shirt	Long	$50
CS201	Class 2	T-Shirt (mesh)	Long	$33
CSV100	Class 2	Vest	—	$20
CSV102	Class 2	Vest	—	$23
CSV105	Class 2	Vest (surveyor)	—	$31
CSV405	Class 2	Vest (mesh back)	—	$35
CSV407	Class 2	Vest (dual-color)	—	$41
CS408	Class 3	T-Shirt	Short	$45
CS202	Class 3	T-Shirt (mesh)	Short	$45
CS409	Class 3	T-Shirt	Long	$52
CS203	Class 3	T-Shirt (mesh)	Long	$52
CS208	Class 3	Hooded LS Tee	Long	$52
CSF300	Class 3	Fleece Hoodie	Long	$71
CSJ504	Class 3	Rain Jacket	Long	$82
CSJ503	Class 3	Insulated Jacket	Long	$90
CSJ24	Class 3	Parka	Long	$102
CS802	ANSI 107	Safety Cap	—	$15

Safety Vests — Essential Add-On

Safety vests are worn over existing clothing, making them the fastest way to bring workers into ANSI compliance — especially for visitors, temporary contractors, or rotating crew members who don't have dedicated hi-vis uniforms.

Hi-Vis Beyond Construction — Restaurant Valet, Catering & Outdoor Service

ANSI hi-vis apparel isn't just for highway construction crews. Restaurants and hospitality operations need Class 2 visibility for several specific roles. Valet teams at hotels, arenas, and event venues operate in traffic at night — Class 2 vests over uniform polos meet the same visibility threshold OSHA references for parking-lot work, regardless of whether the worker is moving cars or just directing traffic. Outdoor catering loadouts at festivals, sporting events, and corporate parties require staff to load equipment from truck to setup location across parking lots and event grounds, often before dawn or after dusk. Food trucks operating overnight at festival lots, breweries, and stadium parking benefit from Class 2 vests on staff handling deliveries and prep traffic.

For these restaurant and hospitality use cases, the CornerStone CSV100 Economy Vest ($20) is the cost-effective entry — pulls on over any uniform polo or apron, customizable with embroidered restaurant logo on the chest panel. The CornerStone CSV102 Mesh Zippered Vest ($23) adds breathability for summer outdoor service. Embroidery on the background fluorescent panel maintains ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 certification — we never embroider on retroreflective tape, which would compromise compliance.

For restaurant-specific apparel: Restaurants & Hospitality collection — 60+ items including dedicated cold-weather and outdoor service layers for patio servers, valet teams, and food-truck operations.

How to Choose the Right Class

Use this quick checklist:

• Workers near roads with speeds over 25 mph? → Class 3 required
• Highway construction or utility work? → Class 3 required
• Night work or low-light conditions? → Class 3 required
• Warehouse, parking lot, or loading dock? → Class 2 sufficient
• Indoor facility with forklift traffic? → Class 2 sufficient
• Not sure which class you need? → Go with Class 3. It meets all Class 2 requirements and provides maximum protection.

Custom Branding on Hi-Vis Apparel

All of our hi-vis garments are available with professional embroidery and DTF printing. The most common placements for hi-vis workwear:

• Left chest — company logo (most popular)
• Upper back — company name or "STAFF" / department identification
• Left/right chest pocket — on vests with pockets

Both embroidery and DTF work well on hi-vis polyester fabric. Embroidery is preferred for small logos that need to last through heavy washing. DTF is ideal for larger, multi-color designs.

Visit our Services page for full details on decoration methods and pricing.

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you need 12 vests for a crew rotation or 200 Class 3 shirts for an entire job site, we handle it with the same attention to quality and compliance.

No minimum orders. Bulk discounts from 12+ pieces. 1–2 business days for single pieces, 3–5 business days for bulk orders.

Request a Quote or browse our full Workwear Collection.

Hi-Vis Safety Apparel FAQs

Common questions about ANSI Class 2 vs Class 3 hi-vis safety apparel for work crews.

What is the difference between ANSI Class 2 and Class 3 hi-vis apparel? ANSI Class 2 garments have at least 775 square inches of fluorescent background fabric and 201 square inches of retroreflective tape — designed for workers near traffic moving 25-50 mph (utility crews, parking lot, airport ground). ANSI Class 3 doubles the requirements to 1,240+ sq inches background and 310+ sq inches reflective tape — required for workers in traffic over 50 mph or in low-light/night conditions (highway construction, emergency response, surveying).

Do I need Class 2 or Class 3 hi-vis for my crew? Class 2 is the typical floor for daytime work near roadways under 50 mph, including parking lot management, utility maintenance, airport ground crews, school crossing guards, and warehouse forklift operators. Class 3 is required for highway construction (any speed), nighttime road work, emergency response, surveyors near active traffic, and tow truck operators. When in doubt or for mixed conditions, Class 3 covers both.

Can ANSI hi-vis garments be customized with embroidery or printing? Yes — but with care. The reflective tape and fluorescent background must remain visible per ANSI standards. Logos can be embroidered or DTF-printed in the chest area below the upper reflective stripe, sized to avoid covering reflective material. Most decorators include a customization-zone diagram for each style to keep your order ANSI-compliant after decoration.

Do you offer ANSI Class 3 hi-vis jackets, hoodies, or rain gear for cold-weather crews? Yes — four pieces of outerwear: CSF300 (heavy-duty fleece full-zip hoodie, $71), CSJ504 (lightweight ripstop rain jacket, $82), CSJ503 (mid-weight waterproof insulated jacket, $90), and CSJ24 (heavy-duty waterproof parka with full hood, $102). All four meet ANSI 107 Class 3 with fluorescent body and reflective tape on torso and sleeves — equally DOT-compliant at any speed or lighting condition. The choice is about insulation level and weather exposure, not visibility class.

What is the minimum order quantity for custom hi-vis vests and shirts? Our standard minimum for full-package decorated hi-vis orders is 12 pieces per design. Single-piece samples are available through our decoration services. CornerStone (ANSI Class 2) and the higher-coverage Class 3 styles can both be customized at the same MOQ.

Are hi-vis tee shirts ANSI-compliant for nighttime work? Most short-sleeve hi-vis tees (CornerStone CS408, CS204) meet ANSI Class 2 — appropriate for daytime work in traffic under 50 mph. For nighttime work or speeds over 50 mph, you need ANSI Class 3 long-sleeve shirts or vests with the higher background and reflective tape coverage. Always confirm the ANSI rating on the garment label before deploying for night-shift work.

How do I wash hi-vis safety apparel without losing the reflective properties? Wash in cold or warm water (under 105°F / 40°C), turn inside out, use mild detergent without bleach or fabric softener, and tumble dry on low. Reflective tape degrades from high heat, harsh chemicals, and frequent industrial laundering. ANSI hi-vis apparel typically lasts 25-50 wash cycles before reflective performance drops below standard — plan reorder cadence accordingly.