Updates Help Keep Workers Safe

STANDARDS Updates Help Keep Workers Safe

With safety in the spotlight as never before, ISEA continued its efforts to ensure critical standard updates were made

The safety equipment marketplace is based on product performance standards, and ISEA is a recognized, accredited developer of consensus standards. The association manages all aspects of the American National Standards under its purview, from drafting and consensus development to approval, publication, interpretation, promotion and periodic updating.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people referenced and accessed many ISEA safety standards as the world learned about the importance of trusted safety equipment. Here is a brief snapshot of some of the updates that were made.

The most accessed standard in 2020–2021 was Z89.1-2014 for Industrial Head Protection.

Standard Updates EYE AND FACE PROTECTION

In 2020, ISEA updated ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection.

The enhanced standard matches the protector to the hazard and includes updates responsive to the evolving needs of workers, particularly those engaged in specific tasks or applications, such as in processing facilities or research laboratories.

The 2020 version includes testing, performance and marking criteria for lenses with anti-fog properties.

Other key updates address the emergence of innovative product designs such as wraparound lens configurations and expanded welding filter shades, which past editions did not include.

The Z87.1-2020 landing page was accessed 19,700 times from 2020 to 2021.

TIMELINE 2020

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HIVIZ SAFETY APPAREL

ISEA released ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) in September 2020. The fifth edition of this voluntary industry consensus standard, this update emphasizes configurations and design requirements, includes specific criteria for single-use disposable coveralls and introduces measurement of nighttime luminance.

“One of the easiest ways to help workers be safe is to make them more visible, especially when working alongside traffic, with heavy machinery or at night,” says Tim Gardner, chairman of the ISEA High-Visibility Products Group and regulatory affairs manager at 3M Company. “This revised and enhanced HVSA standard serves to meet end-user needs, taking into consideration all occupational tasks, hazards and environments.”

This updated version includes specific criteria for a single-use disposable coverall, and it introduces the concept of measuring the overall distribution of nighttime luminance of a garment.

PPE CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

ANSI approved the revised ISEAdeveloped national consensus standard for conformity assessment of safety and PPE in June 2021. This updated version, available for free, addresses improvements and introduces greater flexibility to promote wider voluntary adoption.

Specifically, ANSI/ISEA 125-2021 Conformity Assessment of Safety and Personal Protective Equipment provides a systematic way for a supplier to verify that a product meets the requirements of a performance standard and to communicate that verification to the purchaser and user.

It also includes standardized requirements for initial and ongoing testing, process quality management, record keeping and surveillance, and declaration of conformity. Recognizing the diversity of products, hazards, users and suppliers, it offers three alternative methods of conformity assessment, ranging from in-house testing and monitoring to full thirdparty certification.

The ISEA Standards Policy and Planning Committee leadership developed ANSI/ISEA 125, and a consensus panel of producers, users, regulators and experts reviewed and approved it prior to its approval as an American National Standard.

EYE AND FACE PROTECTION AGAINST BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

In July 2021, ANSI approved ANSI/ ISEA Z87.62 – 2021 American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection Devices for Preventing Exposures Caused by Sprays or Spurts of Blood or Body Fluids.

“Throughout the COVID pandemic, we’ve seen an increased emphasis on eye and face safety equipment to reduce risk to healthcare workers from biohazards such as a spray or spurt of bodily fluid. New safety products quickly entered the market attempting to meet demand,” says Jim Harris, PhD, PE, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and vice-chair of the Accredited Standards Committee on Safety Standards for Eye Protection, Z87.

“However, there was no standard by which to evaluate how well these products performed on tests simulating some spray or spurt situations,” he adds. “Now, we have specific performance criteria to better inform workers regarding the safety equipment they depend on to be protected from potentially infectious bodily fluids.”

APRIL 3

The FDA issues an EAU for non-NIOSH-approved disposable filtering face-piece respirators manufactured in China.

APRIL 15

ISEA members collaborate with the federal government to remove fraudulent and unauthorized respirators from the supply chain.

JULY 30

ISEA testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance about ensuring the reliability of the U.S. medical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises.