ISEA Releases Revised Head Protection Standard
The new standard adds optional designations for enhanced protection, impacting worker safety. Employers can now choose helmets with tested retention effectiveness.
Original reporting · constructiondive.com
Original: “Head safety compliance: Navigating the ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 helmet revision”
Read “Head safety compliance: Navigating the ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 helmet revision” at Construction Dive →
How this was written. A Safety Kit wrote this article with a language model from Construction Dive’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Construction Dive’s report
- The revised head protection standard introduces optional designations for enhanced protection, including Type I+ and Type II+.
- Employers can choose helmets with tested retention effectiveness, but the new designations are not mandatory.
- Manufacturers must test their helmets to the revised standard before marking them with the new designations.
The International Safety Equipment Association has announced a revised industrial head protection standard, according to Construction Dive. This update is the first revision since 2014 and aims to improve worker safety.
The revision was prompted by customer demand for enhanced protection and the presence of products on the market that exceeded the existing standard. Manufacturers had begun referencing a European mountaineering standard to describe their helmets.
The new standard introduces two optional designations, Type I+ and Type II+, which require a chin strap and retention effectiveness testing. This testing simulates the force of a helmet being pulled off a headform to ensure it stays in place during a fall.
The Type I+ designation also adds front, rear, and side impact protection to the existing Type I helmet. The standard's product group benchmarked select clauses of the European mountaineering standard when developing this testing.
The revision also includes checks for helmets worn in reverse and renames the High Visibility marking to Enhanced Visibility. The visibility performance requirements remain unchanged, and the rename clarifies that head protection is separate from high-visibility apparel standards.
Employers should note that the new standard does not replace existing helmet types, and the optional designations are not mandatory. OSHA's head protection rules still apply, and employers must conduct a hazard assessment to determine the appropriate helmet type for their workers.
The practical impact of the revision is relatively small, as the new designations are optional and OSHA's rules have not been updated to reference the 2026 revision. Manufacturers cannot mark their helmets with the new designations until they have been tested to the revised standard.
Manufacturers like STUDSON are already working to comply with the revised standard, with some products designed to meet the new Type II+ requirements. The company is testing its existing ANSI-certified helmets to the 2026 revision and will update markings and documentation accordingly.
Questions and answers
What prompted the revision of the head protection standard?
Customer demand for enhanced protection and the presence of products on the market that exceeded the existing standard led to the revision.
What is the difference between Type I and Type I+ helmets?
Type I+ helmets have additional front, rear, and side impact protection, as well as a chin strap and retention effectiveness testing.
How will the revised standard impact employers?
Employers can now choose helmets with tested retention effectiveness, but the new designations are optional, and OSHA's rules have not been updated to reference the 2026 revision.
