The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) unveiled its 2022 worker safety and protection association priorities in a letter to the Honorable Douglas Parker, Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today.
The seven-page letter detailed current and future challenges to worker safety and health and offered possible solutions.
Stephen Gardner, Interim CEO wrote, “ISEA’s members greatly value the OSHA partnership we have with the agency. The partnership has laudable goals of increased worker protection. These goals, and the communication pipeline that the partnership provides, allow our industry to work closely with OSHA to advance worker safety. We look forward to working with you and the agency in the future.”
Some of the issues raised included:
* PPE for Infectious Diseases
* Hearing Protection
* Dropped object prevention solutions
* Heat Stress
* Fall Protection Regulations
* Hand Protection
* Safe Work @ Heights
* Eye and Face Protection & Industrial Head Protection
* Emergency Eyewash and Shower Standard
* High Visibility Protective Apparel
* Instrumentation and gas detection
* Protective Workwear Garments and PFAS – Heat and flame protection
“I recognize this is an extensive list. However, it also shows there are number of areas where OSHA and ISEA can work cooperatively to improve workplace health and safety for the nation’s workforce,” Gardner said.
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is the U.S. trade association for companies that design, test, manufacture and supply personal protective equipment (PPE). The association is the secretariat for American National Standards for dropped object prevention solutions (ANSI/ISEA 121); emergency eyewash and shower equipment (Z358.1); eye and face protection (ANSI/ISEA Z87.1), first aid kits (ANSI/ISEA Z308.1); gloves (ANSI/ISEA 107), head protection (Z89.1), high visibility apparel (ANSI/ISEA 107); gas detector tubes, limited use, and disposable coveralls.
About ISEA
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is the trade association for personal protective equipment and technologies. Its member companies, united in the goal of protecting the health and safety of workers worldwide, are global leaders in the design, manufacture, testing, and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), which protects more than 111 million workers across the U.S. Since 1933, ISEA has been a recognized leader in the development of ANSI-accredited safety equipment standards, in the United States and around the world. ISEA works with Congress and government agencies to consult with policymakers whose decisions affect the industry.
Nationwide, the safety equipment industry supports 345,001 total jobs and generates more than $71.6 billion in economic activity. In 2020, the safety equipment industry paid $5 billion in federal taxes and nearly $4 billion in state taxes, for a total tax generation of $9 billion. For more information visit safetyequipment.org.
