Is Your Logo Making Your Hi-Vis Non-Compliant? A Guide to AS/NZS 4602.1

Hi-vis workwear is one of the most visible safety measures on any job site - but a bright yellow or orange shirt doesn't automatically mean it's compliant. Once you add a logo, there's a real question worth asking: does your branding affect that compliance? Here's what the standard actually requires, and how we manage it when we print your gear.

The Standard That Governs Hi-Vis in Australia

Hi-vis clothing in Australia is covered by AS/NZS 4602.1, which sets out requirements for fluorescent fabric coverage, reflective tape placement, and garment construction. It defines different classes of garment depending on when and where they'll be worn:

• Day-only garments - rely on fluorescent colour alone, for daylight visibility.
• Day/night garments - combine fluorescent fabric with reflective tape for low-light and after-hours visibility.

The standard specifies minimum fluorescent fabric coverage across the upper torso, along with the width and configuration of any reflective tape (commonly in a hoop, X-back, or H pattern).

Where Your Logo Fits Into This

Branding is absolutely allowed on compliant hi-vis workwear - but placement and size matter. A logo that's too large, positioned over reflective tape, or that eats into the required fluorescent coverage area can reduce a garment's compliance.

• Keep logos modest in size - a general rule of thumb is that a logo no larger than roughly 10cm x 10cm on the chest won't affect compliance, but this depends on the specific garment.
• Avoid covering reflective tape - branding should never sit on or interrupt reflective strips, since that's what keeps workers visible in low light.
• Choose your decoration method carefully - embroidery, screen printing, and heat transfer can all be used on hi-vis, provided the placement respects the coverage and tape requirements.

Why This Matters Beyond "Looking the Part"

Compliant hi-vis isn't just a box to tick - it's what keeps your crew visible around machinery, vehicles, and low-light conditions. Getting branding wrong doesn't just look sloppy, it can genuinely compromise a garment's protective function. That's a risk no business wants to carry, especially when it's easily avoided.

How We Handle This at PrintArtMe

• We check placement before we print - every hi-vis order is reviewed to make sure branding doesn't interfere with fluorescent coverage or reflective tape.
• We recommend sizing that keeps you compliant - if your logo is too large for the garment or position you've chosen, we'll tell you before we print, not after.
• We stock genuinely compliant blanks - our hi-vis range starts from garments that already meet AS/NZS 4602.1, so branding is the only variable to manage.

Get Your Crew Branded - Without Cutting Corners on Safety

If you're not sure whether your logo or design will work on a compliant hi-vis garment, send it through and we'll check it for you before your order goes into production.

Get a free quote →

PrintArtMe is a custom branded apparel and workwear business based in Sydney, proudly serving the Hills District, greater Sydney, and businesses across Australia.