Hi-vis workwear is clothing made from bright fluorescent fabric with reflective tape, so the wearer can be seen quickly in daylight and in low light. It is worn on roads, building sites, warehouses and yards where vehicles and machinery are moving.

The class in EN ISO 20471 is set by how much visible material a garment carries. Class 1 has at least 0.14 square metres of fluorescent material and 0.10 square metres of reflective tape. Class 2 needs at least 0.50 and 0.13. Class 3 needs at least 0.80 and 0.20.

Class 2 carries more fluorescent material and more reflective tape than Class 1, so it is seen from further away. The MHS two band and brace vest conforms to Class 2 in sizes medium to 2XL and Class 1 in small, because the smaller garment has less material.

The class comes from your employer's risk assessment and the site rules, not from the style of the garment. Ask your employer or site manager which class applies, then match it to the class shown on the product page. If you are unsure, call the MHS team before you order.

Hi-vis clothing for work is normally tested to EN ISO 20471, the standard for high-visibility clothing. Look for the standard and the class on the product page or the garment label before you buy.

The garments marked on this page state certification to EN ISO 20471 after 50 washes, which is the figure to plan around. Replace a garment when the fluorescent colour fades or the reflective tape lifts, because it no longer does its job.

Both are fluorescent colours covered by the standard. Which one suits you depends on the background you work against and on your employer's or site's own rules, so check those first. Some MHS garments come in both colours.

EN 342 is the standard for clothing that protects against cold. The MHS S460 winter traffic jacket is listed as tested to it, which is separate from the EN ISO 20471 visibility standard it also meets.

Flame resistant hi-vis combines visibility with fabric that does not keep burning. The MHS FR701 long sleeve T-shirt is inherently flame resistant, anti-static and arc protective, and its product page lists it as suitable for ATEX environments. Check the risk assessment for the job.

Under the UK health and safety regulations for personal protective equipment, an employer must supply, free of charge, the protective equipment that a risk assessment calls for. Whether hi-vis counts depends on the job, so ask your employer first.

Yes. UK orders over 99 pounds ship free. Standard UK delivery is 4.99 pounds below that. MHS delivers to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.

Call MHS on 028 4177 3555 or email sales@mhshygiene.co.uk with the job, the class you need and your sizes. The team can point you to the right garments.