ISEA continues to tell federal agencies that tariffs on the safety equipment will imperil America’s workforce and the broader economy.
Recently, ISEA President & CEO Cam Mackey, Senior Director for Policy Dan Glucksman, and Manager for Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs Adam Block met with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to discuss the impact of tariffs introduced after April 2, 2025, on personal protective equipment and safety equipment.
Why We Met
ISEA requested this meeting to make sure federal policymakers understand two key points:
- A major part of the discussion focused on the BIS investigation about medical PPE. ISEA informed BIS that PPE used in hospitals is the same PPE used everywhere else: a respirator doesn’t care what kind of building it’s used in – it protects the worker from an airborne hazard. (BIS is investigating other industries, too)
- PPE is not just another imported product category. It is a critical input for worker safety, business continuity, emergency readiness, and the U.S. economy.
Tariffs on PPE and safety equipment create risks that extend well beyond the balance sheets of individual companies. When safety product costs rise significantly, employers may face difficult choices, including whether to:
- Absorb the added cost
- Pass costs along to customers
- Shift to lower-cost products
- Use some PPE longer than intended
- Reduce spending elsewhere in their businesses
We shared recent survey results demonstrating 10% of employers are already cutting back in their PPE use because of tariff-impacted PPE price increases. The human and economic cost of this will be hundreds of injuries and fatalities resulting in billions of dollars in economic impact.
What We Shared
During the briefing, ISEA emphasized the scale and importance of the PPE and safety equipment industry.
We shared that:
- 127 million American workers rely on PPE and safety equipment to stay protected on the job.
- Those workers support industries that generate roughly $15 trillion in annual economic activity.
- The PPE industry supports 350,000 jobs, generates $72 billion in economic activity, and contributes $9 billion in state and federal tax revenue each year.
Key Policy Concerns
ISEA explained that broad trade actions can create unintended consequences when they view PPE as having separate, distinct industrial categories. ISEA also explained many safety products used in construction, manufacturing, energy, food processing, and other essential sectors are not produced domestically at scale, even though they are necessary to keep American workers safe.
ISEA’s Recommendations
ISEA also outlined practical recommendations to strengthen U.S. preparedness without tariffs. These included:
- Replenishing the Strategic National Stockpile
- Maintaining warm-base manufacturing contracts
- Strengthening trade relationships with nitrile glove-producing nations
- Expanding trade agreements that support protective coverall availability
- Exempting PPE and safety equipment from tariff regimes that could undermine worker safety and supply chain reliability
Agency Engagement
The agency was highly engaged throughout the meeting and asked many detailed questions.
That level of engagement is encouraging. It showed that BIS was listening closely, testing assumptions, and seeking to better understand the real-world impact of tariff policy on PPE manufacturers, suppliers, employers, workers, and families.
What This Means for Members
For ISEA members, the takeaway is simple: we will continue to bring your concerns to decision-makers.
ISEA’s advocacy is focused on ensuring policymakers understand that PPE is essential to worker safety, business continuity, emergency readiness, and the U.S. economy.
We will continue to push for policies that strengthen domestic preparedness, protect supply chain reliability, and avoid trade actions that make worker protection more difficult.
Members with questions, examples, or company-specific tariff impacts are highlyencouraged to contact ISEA. Your input helps strengthen our advocacy and gives policymakers a clearer picture of what is happening in the market.
Additional resources on ISEA’s tariff advocacy are available at safetyequipment.org/tariffs-impact-worker-safety.
