ISEA Updates Head Protection Standard for Modern Jobsite Safety
News related to:International Safety Equipment Association · 2 min read
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has released an updated version of the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection, ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026. This update, approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), aims to support modern jobsite safety programs by providing enhanced testing criteria for head protection.
According to Cam Mackey, the President & CEO of ISEA, the new standard is a significant step forward in the industry.
The 2026 revision maintains the familiar Type and Class classifications used throughout the industry. Type I and II designations continue to address impact and penetration protection, while Class designations cover electrical protection performance. However, the update introduces optional testing criteria for features that are increasingly being considered by safety professionals and employers across various industries.
ISEA has introduced a new "+" designation to identify head protection tested beyond the base standard. This includes enhanced performance in chin strap retention, helmet retention, and multi-directional impact protection. For Type I+, the standard now includes chin strap retention, enhanced retention, and multi-directional impact protection. Type II+ adds chin strap and enhanced retention to the Type II impact protection.
Tim Gallant, Chair of the ISEA Head Protection Product Group and Vice President of Product at Ergodyne, explained the importance of the update.
The new standard also includes guidance for reverse wearing, ensuring that "+" head protection stays securely on the head when worn in reverse. Additionally, environmental and visibility markings have been updated. The "High Visibility (HV)" marking has been changed to "Enhanced Visibility (EV)" to reflect that head protection falls outside the ANSI/ISEA 107 standard for high visibility apparel. No changes have been made to the visibility performance.
Stacey Simmons, Vice Chair of the ISEA Head Protection Product Group and Strategic Account Executive at Bullard, emphasized the importance of these changes.
ISEA encourages safety professionals to select head protection based on actual jobsite hazards. While enhanced options such as Type I+ and Type II+ provide additional protection, not every job requires the same approach.
For a copy of the updated standard, interested parties can visit [bit.ly/z891standard]. ISEA will host a free webinar explaining the changes to the standard on Wednesday, September 30, at 1:00 pm ET. To register, visit [bit.ly/headprotectionwebinar].
To learn more about industrial head protection, visit [safetyequipment.org/head-protection].