International Safety Equipment Association

STANDARDS AND PRODUCT INFORMATION

Setting the Standards for Safety Equipment. Read the July product group update (pdf).

The draft revision to the ANSI/ISEA standard for first aid kits is available for public review. This revision includes new kit type designations, expansion of the required supplies list and redesign of the label. The review period closes September 22; read more information here.

ISEA has published a new American National Standard for decontamination showers. Developed to meet the needs of emergency first responders and health care facilities, ANSI/ISEA 113-2008 provides manufacturers, users, and specifiers with a consistent set of design guidance in the form of minimum performance requirements and testing procedures for decontamination showers. For more information, contact Cristine Fargo, ISEA Manager of Standards Programs.

Eyewash and Shower Equipment Goes Far to Protect Workers. In the May 2008 issue of Occupational Health and Safety, ISEA Manager of Standards Programs writes about ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 and its acceptance in workplaces around the world. Read it here.

"Understand cut protection" is the lead article in the July 2008 edition of Protection Update, ISEA's newsletter for PPE users, specifiers, purchasers and regulators. It begins on page 33 of the July issue of Occupational Hazards magazine, and is also available online.

FHWA proposes that public safety vests be acceptable for use on federal highways. Effective this November, workers in a federal highway right-of-way have to wear high-visibility clothing that complies with ANSI/ISEA 107-2004, class II or III. Vests that comply with ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 are designed for use by emergency responders and other public safety personnel. In response to requests from user groups, the Federal Highway Administration reviewed the requirements of ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 and found that public safety vests are compatible with its requirements for night-time visibility, and proposed amendments to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Read the FHWA letter.

Product standards are essential for the safety equipment marketplace. A new brochure from ISEA explains how these standards are developed and used, and why it's important for equipment manufacturers to participate in development of standards. Safety Equipment Standards - Your Keys to Business Success is organized in a question-and-answer format, covering US standards, international standards, and conformity assessment. Contact ISEA for a copy of the brochure, or view the PDF version here.

The Department of Homeland Security has announced $1,834,051,404 in grants for preparedness and response. ISEA members can go to the Members Only page for information on where the money is going.

On July 23, ISEA testified at a Washington, DC public hearing on OSHA's proposed rule on confined spaces in construction. The association's testimony covered requirements for equipment for rescue and retrieval, and atmospheric monitoring in confined spaces. Read the ISEA comments here.

ISEA has submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services and OSHA on their guidance for use of respirators in pandemic flu. HHS is developing interim guidance for individuals and families; OHSA is proposing guidelines for businesses. Both agencies seek to clarify the need for facemasks and respirators. ISEA's comments stress the difference between the two: respirators provide protection for the wearer, and facemasks protect others from an infected wearer. Read the ISEA comments to HHS and OSHA.

A construction safety coordinator for the State of California has petitioned the state's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to require the use of ANSI/ISEA 107-compliant high visibility apparel. This would align California Construction Safety Orders with Federal Highway Administration regulations. Read the petition here.

A new law allows state and local pubic entities to purchase safety and security equipment off the GSA schedule. ISEA members can read all about it in latest Washington Report.

How will workers be protected in 2033? ISEA, in cooperation with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), is sponsoring Protection 2033, a Symposium to examine workplace hazards and worker protection in the association’s centennial year.

Speakers will include leading futurist John Mahaffie, author of Future Work, who will peer into the future and describe the changing nature of work in the next 25 years. Richard W. Siegel, professor of materials engineering at Rensselaer and director of the Nanotechnology Center, will look at the role of new materials in the design and manufacture of PPE, as well as the hazards these new materials may present. Outgoing NIOSH Director John Howard will give his unique perspective on the future of worker safety and regulation. The luncheon speaker will be Howard Fineman, Newsweek chief political correspondent and author of the new book The Thirteen American Arguments.

The Symposium will be November 11 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Arlington, VA, during the ISEA Fall Meeting. In addition to member company executives, ISEA is inviting leaders in worker health and safety from industry, government, labor and professional organizations around the country.

ISEA members have a link to a vast store of information affecting safety equipment markets through the Market Intelligence Digest. Read more about it here.

The 75th Annual Meeting, April 27-29 at Amelia Island Plantation in Florida, featured timely and thought-provoking speakers on the economy, politics and global market opportunities. Read more about it in the May First Monday.

Bill Lambert, President and CEO of MSA, was reelected Chairman of the ISEA Board of Trustees at the Annual Meeting on April 28. Sid Ellis, President of North Safety Products, was reelected Vice Chairman. Four members were elected to serve on the Board: Joe Reimer, Senior Vice President, Fall Protection for Sperian Protection, was reelected to a three-year term. New Board members are J.P. Sankpill, President and CEO of U.S. Safety; Jim Teigen, Business Manager of OK-1 Manufacturing, and Pat Velasco, President/CEO of Capital Safety.

The chairs of six ISEA Product Groups reported on their activities and plans at the Fall Meeting General Session. Review their presentations here.

Looking for a speaker on safety equipment? Check the ISEA Speakers’ Bureau. We’ve compiled a list of member company reps and staff who can speak on 60 different topics, such as standards, certification and regulation; making the business case for PPE; conducting a workplace safety audit; trends in worker protection, and public policies that affect safety equipment use. Specific topics cover various types of safety equipment to protect workers in specific industries.

How can safety equipment manufacturers and distributors provide the most value to their customers? By making sure they select the safety equipment that best meets their needs. The Qualified Safety Sales Professional (QSSP) course offered by ISEA and its industry partners is an intensive course in the technical and regulatory fundamentals of safety and health, designed specifically for sales and marketing professionals. Go to QSSP for details.

Looking for quality personal safety equipment? Try the ISEA Online Buyers Guide. It lists PPE and other products in over 160 categories, with contact information for ISEA member manufacturers.

A printed edition of the Guide is available. Give us your name and address and we'll mail you a copy.

International Safety Equipment Association
1901 North Moore Street
Arlington, VA 22209-1762 USA
(703)525-1695
fax (703)528-2148
E-mail isea@safetyequipment.org