Watch Out For Fake High Visibility Clothing

When out shopping for high visibility clothing, you need to know that what you're investing in is genuine and will actually help protect whoever wears it from danger.

High-vis jackets, trousers and other items must be manufactured to a recognised standard. In the UK, the standard for high vis warning clothing is BS EN 471, a European standard that was devised with the legal requirements for personal protective equipment. When looking for appropriate clothes, look for a pictogram that shows whether the clothing conforms or not.

The X on this pictogram indicates the class of conspicuity (the minimum area of conspicuous materials that have been included in the clothes) with Class 3 being the best and Class 1 the worst.

The Y, meanwhile, is indicative of the retroreflection performance. Class 2 is more visible than Class 1 in the darkness when seen in headlights. Various specifications are included in the standard for jackets, tabards, trousers, coveralls, waistcoats and harnesses.

In November last year, Poundworld came under fire and was fined over £70,000 after selling 95,000 Chinese-made high-vis vests for £1 in various shops. Tests conducted later down the line found that the reflectivity of these vests was no more than 2.4 per cent of what it should have been. After the product was withdrawn from the shops, a national recall on all vests was made.

As such, you should always make sure that you know what you're buying and that it does exactly what it says on the tin to avoid any problems regarding health and safety in the future.