Standard Activities Overview
Overview of the Standardization System
The IHVCA's primary goal is to enhance the quality of life and the
safety of end users by promoting and facilitating High Visibility
Clothing Standards and ensuring their integrity.
ISO WG Project CD20471 is proposing a new ISO standard
“High-visibility warning clothing for professional use – Test methods
and requirements”. The draft was disapproved by voting members of ISO on
January 15, 2011. The received comments will be resolved in ISO/TC
94/SC 13/WG 1/PG 20471. The next meeting of PG 20471 will be held in
Madrid, Spain, 2011-03-15/16. The Target date of discussion is
2010-4-28, Final Date of discussion of 2011-4-28 and IS date is
2011-10-28.
The IHVCA High Visibility Clothing Standard draft is posted for
public opinion and will be amended based on comments accordingly. The
final version will be voted upon and will be scheduled publish on April
of 2011.
A Letter to ISO /TC 94/SC 13 Members
Please vote Disapproval to ISO DIS 20471.2 High Visibility Clothing
Standard Draft 2, where numerous flaws were found. Published science and
theories prove that the specifications fail to show a consistency with
the required minimum coefficient of retroreflection (RA) for Entrance
Angles and Observation Angles in relation to the Critical Detection
Distance.
The specifications in the draft 2 also eliminated the option
of users’ preference. Important elements of clothing such as comfort and
fashion have been limited from possible designs of current safety
garments.
In the draft, more stress is focused on the need for certain
reflective tapes than the safety and wellbeing of the end users. It has
encouraged mass production but restricted the development and creativity
of the local business.
To ISEA High Visibility Group members
Numerous flaws with the prevailing EN471:2003, ANSI/ISEA 107,207, and
ISO DIS 20471 standards were found. All of the above standards are
using the same false data for retroreflection. Published science and
theory proves that the current specifications fail to show a consistency
with the required minimum coefficient of retroreflection (RA) for
Entrance Angles and Observation Angles in relation to the Critical
Detection Distance. In above standards, more stress is focused on the
need for reflective tapes than the safety and wellbeing of the end user.
A presentation of field testing data, scientific theories and
alternative designs of high visibility clothing will be given in AATCC
symposium held at Los Angles, California on December 7-9, 2011.
International High Visibility Clothing Association (IHVCA) standard and
test method will be introduced. You are welcome to attend the meeting
and your comments will be appreciated.
Part of the above issues had been presented in the ISEA group
meeting held in Baltimore on June 14, 2010. I would happy to present the
whole theory in next group meeting if so requested.
Representing IHVCA, I would like to invite ISEA high visibility
products group in a joint effort to resolve these safety issues, either
through amending the prevailing ANSI/ISEA 107, 207 standards or
developing a new ANSI standard.