Knowledge Center: Respiratory Protection

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) signed an alliance on June 21, 2018, to provide members, employers, and employees with information on how to properly select, use, maintain, and store personal protective and safety equipment. Through the Alliance, OSHA and ISEA will work together to provide … Read More

Join the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) annual N95 Day webinar on Wednesday September 5, 2018 at 1:00 PM Eastern and get particular about protection against particulates. This year marks NIOSH’s 7th annual N95 Day, and NIOSH is looking forward to sharing the science behind the established guidance and recommendations. For this year’s webinar, there … Read More

ISEA is pleased to support Safe + Sound Week, August 13-19, 2018, a nationwide event to raise awareness and understanding of the value of safety and health programs in workplaces. We encourage ISEA members and employers to sign up to participate in Safe + Sound Week and undertake activities that promote management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic … Read More

By Tracy Haas Depa (Read original article: http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17142-trends-in-personal-protective-equipment-2018) PPE manufacturers and industry insiders discuss technological advancements, what their customers want to know, and what’s on the horizon From hard hats to steel toe boots, personal protective equipment covers workers from head to toe. Safety+Health, with the help of the International Safety Equipment Association, recently reached out … Read More

According to OSHA, trench-related worker deaths have increased. 23 construction workers were killed in trench collapses in 2016, exceeding the combined total from 2014 and 2015. OSHA’s new PSA, featuring Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta, shares important trenching safety tips (Available in English and Spanish): Transcript of OSHA Trenching PSA: The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to the safety … Read More

Are you Ready for Silica Dust? By Don Garvey, 3M Personal Safety Division, (article first appeared in Walls and Ceilings) OSHA has issued a final rule to limit workers’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica (March 2016, OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Regulation – 29 CFR 1926.1153), a common construction material (e.g., concrete, brick, mortar, … Read More

Original article by  Stephanie Valentic, EHS Today, Feb. 9, 2018  Q&A: PPE in Construction A plethora of options are available when it comes to personal protective equipment (PPE). Here’s how America’s Safest Companies choose which PPE to purchase. Hats, gloves, fall arrest systems, boots. The wide world of personal protective equipment (PPE) could be intimidating … Read More

Posted on NIOSH Science Blog November 2, 2017: “So, you want to grow out your beard, but wear a tight-fitting respirator at work? Ensuring the respirator seal is a vital part of respiratory protection practices. Facial hair that lies along the sealing area of a respirator, such as beards, sideburns, or some mustaches, will interfere with … Read More

ISEA experts have compiled cleanup and recovery related resources to help first responders and cleanup crews prepare to work in hazardous conditions after natural disasters and severe weather. These resources focus on proper use and selection of safety equipment and worker safety.

The recent tropical storms left widespread damage along the storm’s path, leaving  “unprecedented” flooding, and “massive” damage to areas. Residents and emergency preparedness and response personnel continue to cope with the weather disaster affecting thousands of square miles and millions of people. The destructive power of severe weather has the ability to create hazardous and … Read More

Each year, NIOSH highlights the importance of the N95 filtering facepiece respirator. For 2017, they are expanding the conversation “Beyond the N95” to some other types of respiratory protection. Join the ISEA as we support the promotion and celebration of N95 Day, on September 5, 2017. We all have one goal here, and that’s to protect the … Read More

By Safety+Health Magazine  “ISEA members and PPE manufacturers discuss new technology, customer concerns and what’s on the horizon in their field.” Properly working and fitting personal protective equipment is critically important for workers, even if it’s meant to be used as the last line of defense. Safety+Health, with help from the International Safety Equipment Association, … Read More

For the past 20 years, completing a course leading to the Qualified Safety Service Personnel (QSSP) designation has been a recognized and sought-after achievement for the sales and marketing representatives of personal protective equipment manufacturers and suppliers. In 2016, the program awarded the designation to the 1,500th graduate of the intensive five-day training program. At that time, Dan Shipp, … Read More

The 2017 Liberty Mutual Report titled:  “2017 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index” highlights top 10 injury causes, including the costs related to falls. “…Overexertion involving outside sources ranked first among the leading causes of disabling injury. This event category, which includes injuries related to lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying or throwing objects, cost businesses $13.79 billion … Read More

What is a QSSP? It’s not a product mark, so don’t look for it on the label. QSSP stands for Qualified Safety Sales Professional, and you’ll find those four letters after the names of safety sales professionals who have prepared themselves to be your partners in prevention of worker injuries and illness. As a safety … Read More

By Rebecca Ghani, Occupational Health [at Work] Occupational Health [at Work] spoke to ISEA president, Daniel Shipp to get the manufacturers’ perspective on PPE for women. Read the article here or view it below.

Historically, PPE has been designed with a man’s body size and shape in mind. But when Safety+Health reached out to the International Safety Equipment Association regarding progress on designing personal protective equipment for women, manufacturers’ representatives were quick to respond. Read the full article here.

How do you know if your personal protective equipment (PPE) will protect you or your workers? To help employers, users of PPE, and others determine which PPE standards must be met by their equipment, NIOSH in collaboration with key partners including the International Safety Equipment Association, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety … Read More

Personal protective equipment is designed to keep employees safe every day at work, and is often the last line of defense against injury or death. Safety+Health, with the help of the International Safety Equipment Association, recently asked PPE manufacturers three questions: What PPE trends are happening now, what challenges are your customers reaching out to you … Read More

  According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), N95 Day is a day dedicated to providing the N95 respirator community with educational materials promoting the proper use and selection of this piece of personal protective equipment. If N95s are part of your workplace respiratory protection program, please take some time on N95 … Read More

By EC&M Staff | Electrical Construction and Maintenance Let’s face it, the electrical industry can be a pretty dangerous place to work. Luckily, there’s a lot of great personal protective equipment (PPE) out there to help keep workers as safe as possible while on the job. This photo gallery explores how PPE has evolved from the … Read More

Buyer Beware (Content source: NIOSH) NIOSH has become aware of a counterfeit N95 Respirator on the market. While the TC number and private label holder (KOSTO) are valid, this unapproved unit can be identified by the misspelling of NIOSH on the front of the respirator.  How can you be sure your respirator is truly NIOSH-approved? … Read More

  By MSA Safety How can workplace fatalities and injuries be reduced or, in a perfect world, be totally eradicated? That is precisely what standards are designed to accomplish. Standards are rules designed to provide a work environment free from known dangers or hazards. These standards require the use of certain safe practices and equipment, … Read More