International Safety Equipment Association

TOP OF THE NEWS

ISEA announces ANSI approval of its smoke hood standard. Read more about the American National Standard for Air-Purifying Respiratory Protective Smoke Escape Devices, ANSI/ISEA 110-2009.

STANDARDS AND PRODUCT INFORMATION

Setting the Standards for Safety Equipment. Read the May product group update (PDF).

ANSI has approved a revised edition of ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2009, American National Standard - Minimum Requirements for Workplace First Aid Kits and Supplies. The revision includes the designation of new kit types, expansion of the required supply list to include a first aid guide, and a redesign of the product label. Read more about it here.

For information about ISEA members' products, as well as news about safety equipment, protective technologies and government and industry updates, see the quarterly Protection Update published in EHS Today magazine. To read it online, click here, go to "Contents" and select "ISEA Update."

The ISEA Global Standards Database is on line. ISEA member companies now have access to information on over 2000 standards from 250 countries and regions, in 17 equipment categories. Click here (password required) for more information, including instructions on how to search the database.

Product standards are essential for the safety equipment marketplace. A new brochure from ISEA explains how these standards are developed and used, and why it's important for equipment manufacturers to participate in development of standards. Safety Equipment Standards - Your Keys to Business Success is organized in a question-and-answer format, covering US standards, international standards, and conformity assessment. Contact ISEA for a copy of the brochure, or view the PDF version here.

The FDA and CDC have issued guidelines for general public use of respirators from the National Strategic Stockpile. FDA released these respirators under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which follows the HHS declaration of a national emergency for the N1H1 flu outbreak. It authorizes state and local public health authorities to distribute N95 disposable respirators, and establishes conditions for their use. Note that this authorization applies only to respirators from the stockpile, not all models from all companies, and that manufacturers' instructions must still be followed . The EUA Summary Fact Sheet and other information on use of these respirators is available on a CDC Web page.

See the "H1N1 Flu Info" box in the left-hand column of this page for links to up-to-date US and international information on the H1N1 influenza.

Congress has appropriated $7.6 billion for pandemic flu preparation. Read the latest ISEA Washington Report for details (members only - PDF).

OSHA has issued a legal interpretation that clarifies the effect of NIOSH certification on state court claims. ISEA believes this ruling validates the importance of a single national set of performance standards, and will help preserve the availability of respiratory protection for workers. Read more details here.

The time is right for a fundamental reexamination of occupational safety and health regulation, and the incoming Administration can take the lead. Read ISEA's statement on OSHA issues submitted to the Obama transition team.

The Department of Homeland Security administers approximately $1.8 billion in grants for preparedness and response. Read a summary of the programs for FY2009 and FY2008, with links to DHS overviews (members only).

Syracuse University student Patricia Pangaio is the 20th recipient of the Lincoln C. Bailey Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually by ISEA to the son or daughter of a member company employee.

Is the PPE industry immune to the global slowdown? This is the question posed in a one-hour analyst briefing by Frost & Sullivan, in cooperation with ISEA. The briefing was Webcast on April 16, and a recorded version is available here.

ISEA members have a link to a vast store of information affecting safety equipment markets through the Market Intelligence Digest. Read more about it here.

How can safety equipment manufacturers and distributors provide the most value to their customers? By making sure they select the safety equipment that best meets their needs. The Qualified Safety Sales Professional (QSSP) course offered by ISEA and its industry partners is an intensive course in the technical and regulatory fundamentals of safety and health, designed specifically for sales and marketing professionals. Go to QSSP for details.

International Safety Equipment Association
1901 North Moore Street
Arlington, VA 22209-1762 USA
(703)525-1695
fax (703)528-2148
E-mail isea@safetyequipment.org