The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), together with eight additional leading safety organizations, today submitted a petition urging the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to update its references to several key personal protective equipment (PPE) standards.

Many of OSHA’s PPE regulations reference consensus standards dating back decades—including editions from as far back as 1989—despite significant advancements in safety science, materials, and testing methods. Updating these references will help ensure workers benefit from the latest innovations in PPE while maintaining flexibility for employers.

The petition calls on OSHA to update regulatory references for standards covering eye and face protection (ANSI/ISEA Z87.1), occupational head protection (ANSI/ISEA Z89.1), and workplace first aid kits (ANSI/ISEA Z308.1).

Together, these standards affect more than 125 million Americans who rely on PPE and emergency safety equipment every day to stay safe on the job. Updated standards incorporate improvements such as enhanced impact testing, clearer product markings, expanded protection from biological hazards, and updated first aid guidance reflecting today’s workplace risks.

“Safety regulations should reflect the best knowledge and protective practices available today—not from decades ago,” said Cam Mackey, President and CEO of the International Safety Equipment Association. “Updating these references is a straightforward step OSHA can take to ensure its regulations keep pace with innovation and support the safety science and practices already widely used across industry.” 

The petition notes that updating incorporated references to current consensus standards will enhance worker protection, align OSHA regulations with industry best practices, and impose no additional regulatory costs. The requested updates will simply replace outdated references with the most recent editions of widely used consensus standards that already guide the design, testing, and performance of protective equipment used across U.S. workplaces. 

Organizations supporting the petition include:

• American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN)
• ABSA International: Association for Biosecurity and Biosecurity
• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
• American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)
• Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
• International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)
• Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)
• National Safety Council (NSC)
• The Vision Council

   

Read the full petition here.