ANSI Approves New Head Protection Standards

Revision enables extra protection in hot work environments

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014, American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection. The standards were submitted by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) as an update to the 2009 rules and was approved by a consensus review panel of technical experts, unions, construction industry and other user groups, test labs, certification agencies, and government agencies.

Although the core performance requirements remain unchanged, key updates in this version incorporate an optional preconditioning at higher temperatures of 60C 2C (140F 3.6F). The revision enables additional protection in response to users who may work in especially hot environments.

Head protection devices that meet the applicable product performance criteria after having been exposed to these higher temperatures will bear a unique mark indicating such, to provide easy identification to the user. The markings for head protection that meet higher temperature performance requirements will be designated HT. In addition, the updates allow for flexibility and inclusion of emerging and state of the art manufacturing materials for higher temperature protection.

“ISEA’s Head Protection Group established the optional preconditioning at higher temperatures as a parallel to the previous optional cold preconditioning performance criteria,” noted Joann Kline, chairman of the ISEA Head Protection Group and safety products, standards, and regulations leader for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “Workers are exposed to myriad head hazards on any given day and we must be diligent in addressing various safety ranges in work environments to ensure user safety. ISEA’s next step is to encourage and assist OHSA’s recognition of this updated standard in its PPE regulations for head protection.”

The standard can be purchased from ISEA for $35 a copy; discounts are available on bulk orders. For additional information, contact Cristine Z. Fargo, ISEA director of member and technical services at cfargo@safetyequipment.org or click here.