AI-tested safety for high-visibility clothing

Textile service provider Mewa has developed an AI-supported test procedure with the Fraunhofer Institute that can be used to determine the protective effect of high-visibility clothing after each washing and care process. According to a study by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and the German Construction Employers' Liability Insurance Association (BG Bau), this test procedure offers greater safety than others.

The reliability of AI-supported testing was tested in a DGUV / BG Bau research project. The scientific laboratory and field tests confirmed that the AI-based process is more reliable than the human eye in recognizing when the visibility of high-visibility clothing no longer meets the standard. This enables Mewa to ensure even better that clothing with signs of wear is removed or repaired in good time.

In a fully automated inspection process, the garments are transported through the inspection system hanging on hangers after washing and drying. There, the luminance factor of the fluorescent fabric and the specific retro-reflective value of the retro-reflective strips are recorded and documented. If the software detects that a piece of clothing is outside the standard values, it is automatically separated and subjected to a further inspection process. "The AI-supported technology complements the previous visual inspection and provides even more safety for our customers. By the end of 2025, we will be able to carry out this digital inspection at all Mewa sites," says Stefan Abel, Head of Quality Production & Logistics at Mewa. The results will be documented automatically and can be made available to customers if required.

Regular inspection mandatory

Companies must ensure that high-visibility clothing is used in accordance with the risk assessment and regularly checked for functionality. This is stipulated by the accident prevention regulations of the employers' liability insurance associations and the PPE Usage Ordinance. If the care and maintenance of high-visibility clothing is left to professional industrial laundry companies, they are responsible for putting the PPE back into circulation. They must ensure that the reflective strips and fluorescent fabric still have their full protective effect. This applies to all work areas in which high-visibility clothing must be worn, such as track and road construction, transportation and traffic, emergency and law enforcement services, shipping and agricultural activities.