Type R, Type O and Type P Hi-Vis Explained

The type on a hi-vis label tells you where the garment was designed to be worn. Type O is for off-road work, Type R is for roadways and temporary traffic control, and Type P is for public safety responders. Under ANSI/ISEA 107-2020, Type O comes only in Class 1, while Type R and Type P come in Class 2 or Class 3.

Buyers tend to read the class and skip the letter. That is backwards, because the type decides which classes are even on the table.

Where hi-vis garment types came from

Types arrived with the 2015 edition of ANSI/ISEA 107, which merged the earlier ANSI/ISEA 107 and the ANSI/ISEA 207 public safety vest standard into one document. The International Safety Equipment Association, which publishes the standard, groups garments by expected hazard: off-road (Type O), roadway and temporary traffic control (Type R), and public safety activities (Type P). The 2020 edition kept the same three types and the same class structure.

What is Type O hi-vis?

Type O is for non-roadway work, where workers are not exposed to highway traffic. Typical settings have restricted public vehicle access: warehouses, distribution yards, parking facilities and private industrial sites. People there can still be struck by a forklift backing out of a trailer or a loader crossing a yard, so visibility still matters.

Type O is allowed in Class 1 only. The minimums are 217 square inches of background material and 155 square inches of retroreflective material.

Kiwi doesn't make Type O Class 1 garments. If your off-road site wants more than the minimum, a Type R Class 2 vest carries far more of both materials and does the same job. Check your site rules before swapping, since some facilities specify a style as well as a rating.

What is Type R hi-vis?

Type R is for workers exposed to traffic from a public road right-of-way, or to work vehicles and construction equipment inside a temporary traffic control zone. Paving, utility, survey, line striping and public works crews working along open roads all fall here.

Type R comes in Class 2 (775 square inches of background, 201 of retroreflective) or Class 3 (1,240 and 310). The smallest size in a range may use a reduced background area, but never less tape.

The roadway rule lives in the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. MUTCD 11th Edition, Section 6C.05 requires workers within the right-of-way who are inside a temporary traffic control zone to wear Performance Class 2 or 3 apparel meeting ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 "or equivalent revisions," which covers garments made to the 2020 edition. Older material often cites 23 CFR 634 for this. That federal-aid highway rule was folded into the MUTCD in 2010, and it no longer exists as a separate regulation.

The MUTCD also limits background color on roadways to fluorescent orange-red, fluorescent yellow-green, or a combination of the two. ANSI/ISEA 107 recognizes fluorescent red as well, but you won't meet the MUTCD with it. Our guide to hi-vis yellow vs orange covers which color tends to stand out where.

Every rated Kiwi hi-vis garment is Type R. Shop the Class 2 and Class 3 collections, or see the gear we group for road and highway crews.

What is Type P hi-vis?

Type P is for emergency and incident responders and law enforcement who face struck-by hazards on the road or off it. Like Type R, it comes in Class 2 or Class 3. The background minimums are lower: 450 square inches for Class 2 and 775 for Class 3.

The retroreflective minimums match Type R exactly, at 201 and 310 square inches. The lower background number gives designers room for the way responders work. Type P vests often run shorter so an officer or medic can reach equipment on a duty belt.

The MUTCD gives this group one extra option. Emergency and incident responders and law enforcement inside a traffic control zone may wear apparel labeled to ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 instead.

Kiwi doesn't make Type P garments. Fire, EMS and police departments should follow their own apparel specification.

Type R vs Type O vs Type P side by side

Class E sits outside the type system. It covers supplemental pants, shorts and gaiters with a minimum of 465 square inches of background and 109 of retroreflective material. A Class E item cannot be worn alone to meet a requirement. Worn with a Class 2 or Class 3 top, the outfit is rated as a Class 3 ensemble.

How to read a hi-vis label

Before a box of vests goes out to the crew, pull one and check the label in this order:

1. The standard and edition, such as ANSI/ISEA 107-2020.
2. The type letter: O, R or P.
3. The performance class: 1, 2, 3 or E.
4. The flame resistance statement.
5. The care instructions, so the tape survives the wash.

The flame resistance line deserves a closer look. Under the 2020 edition, a garment may claim flame resistance only if it fully meets one of the listed FR standards: ASTM F1506, ASTM F1891, ASTM F2302, ASTM F2733, NFPA 1977 or NFPA 2112. A garment that doesn't must be labeled as not flame resistant.

Kiwi lists the same details on every product page. A rated piece reads "ANSI/ISEA 107-2020, Type R, Class 3 Compliant," for example. Pieces marked "Background Material Only" or "Reflectors Only" are not a rated class. Our current hi-vis pages all say not flame resistant. If your hazard assessment calls for FR or arc-rated clothing, choose a hi-vis garment rated for that hazard.

Running a mixed crew on one type

Plenty of companies have people who split the day between the yard and the roadside. Standardizing on Type R keeps it simple, because the same garment works in both places and nobody has to change vests at the gate.

A sleeved Class 3 vest such as the 72200 dual band short sleeve vest covers roadway work, including night flagging, where MUTCD guidance calls for Class 3. It has a non-conductive front zipper.

A checklist for sorting a mixed crew:

• List every task and where it happens: shop, yard, roadside or live lane.
• Mark each task in a public right-of-way, especially inside a temporary traffic control zone. Plan on Type R, Class 2 or higher.
• Mark any night flagging and plan on Class 3.
• Note flame or arc exposure. Hi-vis that is not flame resistant is the wrong outer layer there.
• Check what your DOT, project owner or general contractor specifies.
• Pick one Type R garment per role so reorders stay simple.

For help choosing between the two Type R classes, read Class 1 vs Class 2 vs Class 3 or use the class comparison page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Type R the same as Class 2?

No. Type R names the work environment, roadway and temporary traffic control. Class 2 names the amount of material. A Type R garment can be Class 2 or Class 3, and the label shows both.

Can a Type O vest be worn on a public road?

No. Type O comes only in Class 1, and the MUTCD requires Class 2 or Class 3 for workers in the right-of-way inside a temporary traffic control zone. Roadway work needs a Type R garment, or Type P for responders.

What does Type P mean on a safety vest?

Type P marks a garment designed for public safety work: police, fire, EMS and incident response. It comes in Class 2 or Class 3, with smaller background minimums than Type R and the same retroreflective minimums.

Which hi-vis type is right for warehouse workers?

Type O fits off-road work like warehouses and yards. Many facilities go further and use Type R Class 2 vests for the extra material, especially where workers cross truck lanes or yard traffic.

None of this is legal advice. Your department spec, your hazard assessment and the rules where you work decide what the crew wears.

Standardizing your crew on Type R

Tell us the styles, sizes and quantities on the request a quote page and we'll come back with pricing for the whole crew. If you resell safety gear, email sales@kiwiworkwear.com about a wholesale or dealer account. Want the company name on every vest? Our custom logo bulk order program prints on any Kiwi hi-vis, with a 12 item minimum, and keeps your artwork on file so the next order matches the last.