EN 17353 B2
Enhanced visibility in dark conditions.
EN 17353
Enhanced visibility
The EN 17353 standard sets requirements for enhanced-visibility clothing and equipment for medium-risk environments. It ensures that professionals remain visible during daylight, twilight, and darkness, but is less stringent than EN ISO 20471, which applies to high-risk situations.
Use of EN 17353 clothing
Protective garments and devices certified under EN 17353 help professionals be seen during daylight, twilight, and darkness, especially when illuminated by vehicle headlights or searchlights.
This standard does not apply to:
high-visibility equipment for high-risk situations (covered by EN ISO 20471);
visibility equipment specifically intended for the head, hands, and feet (e.g. helmets, gloves, shoes);
equipment with active lighting (such as LEDs);
visibility solutions for low-risk situations.
Classification of EN 17353 equipment
EN 17353 defines three main types of enhanced-visibility equipment. Within Type B and Type AB, the standard distinguishes subtypes to specify where the material is placed.
| Type | Use | Surface Fluorescent material (m²) | Surface Retroreflective material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type A | Daylight use | 0,24 | / |
| Type B2 | Nighttime use | / | 0,018 |
| Type B3 | Nighttime use | / | 0,08 |
| Type AB2 | All-day use | 0,24 | 0,08 |
| Type AB3 | All-day use | 0,24 | 0,08 |
EN 17353 AB
Enhanced visibility for daytime, twilight and at night.
EN ISO 20471
High-visibility for daytime, twilight and at night.
Key requirements of EN 17353
The standard defines both colour and retroreflective performance:
Specifies minimum surface areas for fluorescent and retroreflective materials, based on wearer height.
Specifies the distribution of fluorescent and retroreflective materials on front, back and sides for all-round visibility.
Allows a wider fluorescent colour palette than EN ISO 20471, including yellow-green, yellow, orange, orange-red, red, and even pink.
How EN 17353 differs from EN ISO 20471
For professionals, the key distinction lies in the level of risk:
EN 17353 applies to medium-risk contexts, where visibility is important but conditions are less extreme. Examples include warehouse logistics, light maintenance near traffic, or utility work in lower-speed areas.
EN ISO 20471 is mandatory in high-risk environments, such as roadworks on highways or heavy construction sites, where maximum visibility is critical to safety.
Together, both standards ensure professionals can select the right level of visibility protection for the risk at hand.