How to match eye, head, hand, foot, and hi-vis protection to the right standard — and defend the choice in an inspection
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The Marking on the Gear Is Where Most PPE Programs Fall Apart
OSHA tells you PPE is required. It rarely tells you which PPE.
That detail lives in the consensus PPE standards — ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 for eyes and face, Z89.1 for heads, ISEA 105 for hands, ASTM F2413 for feet, ISEA 107 for hi-vis. When a compliance officer, a customer safety auditor, or an incident investigator asks why a worker was wearing that glove or that pair of glasses, the answer has to trace back to one of those documents and to your hazard assessment.
And 2026 moved the target. Z87.1-2025 was published in January. ISEA released ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 in mid-September, adding new optional “+” hard hat classes. If your PPE matrix still reads like it was written in 2016, it probably was.
This guide is for safety leads and operations managers who already know PPE is required and need to know what each of the PPE standards actually demands, which edition OSHA enforces, and how to build a program that holds up.
From the Floor: A burn table operator walks in from the yard and starts cutting plate in the tinted glasses he wore outside, because they’re dark. Dark isn’t a shade rating. An outdoor tinted lens and a cutting filter carry different markings under Z87.1 and are tested for different jobs — and OSHA’s shade table for cutting is written around the filter, not the tint. That’s the gap I hit in an incident review involving eye protection: OSHA said protection was required, and I had to buy the ANSI standard to see what the marking on the lens actually meant.
👉 Before your next customer safety audit or OSHA visit, find out whether your PPE program would survive a line-by-line review. The free Construction Compliance Checklist walks through 81 jobsite and shop items — including PPE hazard assessment, selection, and training — so you can close the gaps before someone else finds them.
In This Guide
- Quick answer: which standard covers which body part
- What OSHA actually requires — and which editions it references
- ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025: eye and face protection
- ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026: what changed for hard hats
- ANSI/ISEA 105-2024: glove cut, puncture, and abrasion ratings
- ASTM F2413-24: safety footwear
- ANSI/ISEA 107: high-visibility apparel
- How to build a defensible PPE program
- PPE audit checklist and FAQ
Table of Contents
👉 Start Here (Top Resources)
- Building or updating your PPE matrix? Work from the actual standards, not a glove supplier’s summary. The ANSI Safety Standards collection groups the PPE, fall protection, and lockout titles in one place.
- Need several PPE standards at once? Packages cost less than buying titles one at a time — browse ANSI Webstore standards packages before you check out individually.
- Buying before year-end? Code CC2026 takes 5% off through December 31, 2026 — apply the ANSI Webstore coupon here.
Quick Answer: Which PPE Standards Cover What?
| PPE Category | Current Consensus Standard | OSHA Rule (General Industry / Construction) |
|---|---|---|
| Eye and face | ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 | 1910.133 / 1926.102 |
| Head | ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 | 1910.135 / 1926.100 |
| Hand and arm | ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 | 1910.138 / 1926.95 (general PPE) |
| Foot | ASTM F2413-24 | 1910.136 / 1926.96 |
| High-visibility apparel | ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 | MUTCD via 1926.201 (highway work zones) |
| Hazard assessment, fit, training, payment | No consensus standard — OSHA sets these directly | 1910.132 / 1926.95 |
Respiratory protection (1910.134), hearing conservation (1910.95), fall protection, and electrical PPE each run as their own programs with their own standards. They’re outside the scope of this article, but your hazard assessment still has to account for them.
What OSHA Actually Requires (And Which Edition It Enforces)
OSHA’s PPE framework starts with 29 CFR 1910.132 for general industry. It requires employers to assess the workplace for hazards, select PPE that protects against them, train workers on its use, and pay for most of it.
In general industry, 1910.132(d)(2) requires a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation was performed, the date or dates of the evaluation, and the document itself as a certification of hazard assessment. Keep the certification and the underlying assessment separate in your head: the certification proves the evaluation happened, while the assessment has to actually identify the hazards. An inspector can look at either one.
Construction runs on 1926.95. Since January 13, 2025, it has explicitly required that PPE properly fit each affected employee. OSHA’s December 2024 final rule framed this as aligning construction with the fit language general industry and shipyards already had — but the explicit text changes what a citation looks like.
The Edition Gap Most Programs Miss
Here’s where people get confused. OSHA incorporates specific, older editions of the PPE standards by reference. The eye protection rule at 29 CFR 1910.133 names Z87.1-2010, -2003, and -1989 (R1998). The head protection rules name Z89.1-2009 and earlier.
That doesn’t mean you should buy to the 2010 edition. OSHA accepts protectors that are at least as effective as the incorporated editions, and current-edition gear generally meets or exceeds them. What it means is this:
- ✅ The OSHA rule decides whether you’re compliant.
- ✅ The current consensus standard tells you how the gear was tested and what its marking means.
- ⚠️ A new ANSI edition is not automatically a new OSHA requirement. Don’t let a vendor tell you a revision makes your existing compliant gear illegal.
If you are writing a PPE policy from scratch → cite the OSHA rule as the requirement and the current ANSI/ISEA or ASTM edition as the selection criterion. That combination holds up to both an OSHA inspector and a customer auditor.
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025: Eye and Face Protection
Of all the PPE standards, Z87.1 is the one your crews see every day — it’s stamped on every lens. Z87.1-2025 is the sixth revision and replaced the 2020 edition. The Vision Council announced publication in January 2026.
The core system didn’t change. Z87 means the protector passed basic impact testing. Z87+ means it passed high-velocity impact. Additional markings identify splash and droplet (D3), dust (D4), fine dust (D5), and welding shade numbers.
Lens markings are where the tinted-glasses-at-the-burn-table problem gets solved. Welding and cutting filters are marked with a shade number, while special-purpose tinted lenses — the gray outdoor lenses your yard crew wears — carry an S marking. A dark outdoor lens is not a cutting filter, no matter how dark it looks. The filter lens table in OSHA 1910.133 sets minimum shades for cutting — by plate thickness for torch cutting and by arc current for plasma — so the filter has to match the process, not just the lighting.
The 2025 revision focused on clarity:
- Expanded marking requirements, including guidance on prescription lens carriers
- Clarified language on impact testing, lens haze, and minimum coverage
- A cross-reference to ANSI/ISEA Z87.62-2021 for blood and infectious-material splash
- Retained relaxed-optics and anti-fog criteria first added in 2020
Common finding in practice: Crews wearing plain Z87 glasses on grinding or chipping tasks where the hazard assessment calls for Z87+ — or face shields worn without safety glasses underneath. A face shield is a secondary protector; the primary eye protection still has to be there.
The Z87.1-2025 PDF runs $75 on the ANSI Webstore. Get it here: ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 — ANSI Webstore. Welding operations should look at the combined package covering Z49.1, Z136.1, and Z87.1: ANSI Z49.1 / Z136.1 / Z87.1 Welding and Lasers Face Protection Package — ANSI Webstore. For shade selection in context, see our Welding Standards guide and Hot Work Requirements.
ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026: What Changed for Hard Hats
This is the newest revision among the PPE standards. The International Safety Equipment Association announced ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 on September 11, 2026, replacing the 2014 (R2019) edition.
The familiar structure stays. Type I protects against impacts to the top of the head. Type II adds lateral impact — front, back, and sides. Class G, E, and C still define electrical protection.
What’s new is a set of optional classifications:
| Classification | What It Adds | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Type I+ | Retention and chin strap testing, plus impact testing extended beyond the crown | Optional |
| Type II+ | Retention and chin strap testing on top of Type II requirements | Optional |
| EV marking | Replaces the old “HV” marking (Enhanced Visibility instead of High Visibility) to avoid confusion with ISEA 107 apparel | Marking name only — no change to visibility performance |
The revision also adds checks for “+” helmets worn in reverse. ISEA is clear that existing compliant hard hats are not obsolete. OSHA’s head protection rules still reference earlier editions. Nothing here forces a replacement cycle.
If you are running crews under cranes, on elevated steel, or on multi-contractor sites where owners are mandating helmets → the “+” classes give you a tested, documented basis for that decision instead of a catalog claim. Pair it with our Crane and Rigging Safety Standards guide and Fall Protection Standards — a helmet that stays on during a fall arrest is the whole point of the retention test. If your crews tie off, the ANSI/ASSE Z359 Fall Protection Code belongs in the same library.
As of this writing, ISEA is selling the 2026 edition directly through its standards store, and the ANSI Webstore still lists the 2014 (R2019) edition as its most recent. If you buy through ANSI, search the current Z89.1 listings on the ANSI Webstore and confirm the edition before checkout — the 2026 edition is the one that defines the new “+” classes.
ANSI/ISEA 105-2024: Hand and Arm Protection
Hand protection is where OSHA gives you the least detail. 29 CFR 1910.138 requires you to select gloves based on the performance characteristics relative to the tasks, the conditions, and the hazards. It doesn’t name a standard.
That makes ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 your selection evidence. The 2024 edition kept the nine-level cut scale and its test method, and added a standardized pentagon label that puts cut, puncture, and abrasion ratings in one mark. It also formally covers sleeves, not just gloves.
| Cut Level Group | ANSI Levels | Typical Shop Application |
|---|---|---|
| Light | A1–A3 | Assembly, packaging, light material handling |
| Medium | A4–A6 | Sheet metal handling, general fabrication, deburring |
| Heavy | A7–A9 | Sharp-edge plate, glass, sheet metal slitting and shearing |
These groupings are illustrative. Your actual level depends on edge sharpness, handling force, and whether the glove needs dexterity or grip retention in oil. The hazard assessment should state why a level was chosen for a task.
⚠️ A higher cut rating is not always safer around rotating equipment. Heavy gloves can catch. Hand protection selection has to account for machine guarding and entanglement hazards — see Machine Guarding Standards. Electrical work is its own category entirely; insulating gloves are covered in our Electrical Safety Standards guide.
Get the standard: ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 — ANSI Webstore.
👉 Is your PPE hazard assessment actually certified — or just a spreadsheet someone made in 2019? In general industry, the written certification is its own requirement under 1910.132(d)(2), and a missing or incomplete one is a gap you don’t want an inspector to find first. Run the Construction Compliance Checklist against your program this week and see exactly where the documentation is thin.
ASTM F2413-24: Safety Footwear
ASTM F2413-24 replaced the 2018 edition in June 2024. The marking block inside the boot tells you what it was tested for: I (impact) and C (compression) are the baseline, with optional Mt (metatarsal), EH (electrical hazard), PR (puncture resistance), SD or Cd (static dissipative or conductive).
Slip resistance is a separate specification: ASTM F3445. It sets the performance thresholds and testing for an SR marking (dry and wet surfaces) and, since its 2024 revision, an SRO marking for oily-wet surfaces. For shops with oily floors or crews working on wet steel, specify F3445 SR or SRO by name in your PPE policy — a toe-protection rating under F2413 says nothing about traction on its own. Get the slip standard here: ASTM F3445-24 — ANSI Webstore.
One scope note matters on the floor: the standard states that aftermarket insoles or resoling can cause the footwear to no longer meet it, invalidating the ASTM marking. If your crews swap insoles, your PPE policy should say what’s allowed.
The F2413-24 PDF is $83 on the ANSI Webstore, and it’s paired with the F2412 test methods in a single package: ASTM F2412 / ASTM F2413 Foot Protection and Performance Package — ANSI Webstore. For broader ASTM needs, browse the ASTM standards collection on the ANSI Webstore.
ANSI/ISEA 107: High-Visibility Apparel
ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 is the current edition. ISEA ran a public review on a proposed revision that closed in May 2026, so watch for a new edition.
The standard classifies garments by Type (O for off-road, R for roadway, P for public safety) and Performance Class (1, 2, or 3) based on the amount of fluorescent and retroreflective material. On highway and street work, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices references it, and OSHA’s construction signaling rule at 1926.201 points to the MUTCD.
If you are running a fabrication crew that installs on active roadways or public works sites → you need Type R garments at the class your traffic control plan requires. Our Public Works Standards Requirements guide covers the rest of that compliance picture. Get the standard: ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 — ANSI Webstore.
The Objection: “We Buy From a Reputable Supplier — Why Do We Need PPE Standards?”
I hear this one from shop owners regularly. The gear is marked. The supplier is reputable. Why spend money on PPE standards?
Because the supplier sells to the marking. You’re responsible for the selection. A glove labeled A5 is compliant with ISEA 105. Whether A5 is right for your plate-handling task is a hazard assessment decision, and OSHA puts that decision on you — not the distributor.
The cost is small. Z87.1-2025 is $75 and ASTM F2413-24 is $83 as PDFs; check current listings for the other titles. Buying related standards in a package brings the per-title cost down, and the ANSI Webstore serves international buyers, with several standards available in multiple languages — useful if you’re writing one PPE policy across U.S. and overseas sites. If you’re not sure whether a reseller is legitimate, read Is ANSI Webstore Legit? first.
Compare that to one serious eye or hand injury. PPE standards are the cheapest part of the program.
How to Build a Defensible PPE Program
A defensible program is one you can walk an inspector through in ten minutes. Here’s the sequence:
| Step | What to Do | Document That Proves It |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hazard assessment | Walk each task and job area; identify impact, cut, splash, electrical, struck-by, and visibility hazards | Assessment plus written certification per 1910.132(d)(2) |
| 2. Selection | Match each hazard to a protector rated under the current PPE standards | PPE matrix citing standard and rating |
| 3. Fit | Confirm sizes cover your actual workforce, including smaller and larger workers | Size range log, issue records |
| 4. Training | Teach when PPE is needed, how to wear it, its limits, and care | Training records with dates and content |
| 5. Inspection and replacement | Define inspection frequency and replacement criteria | Inspection logs, replacement triggers |
| 6. Review | Reassess when tasks, materials, equipment, or standards change | Revision history on the assessment |
Step 6 is where Z89.1-2026 and Z87.1-2025 matter. A new edition is a trigger to review your matrix, not necessarily to replace your gear.
If you are already running ISO 45001 or building toward it → fold the PPE program into your hierarchy-of-controls documentation. PPE is the last line of defense, and a 45001 auditor will look for evidence that you considered engineering and administrative controls first. Our Safety Management System guide and OSHA vs. ISO Frameworks cover how those pieces connect. For formal training, BSI Group ISO 45001 courses and ISOQAR ISO 45001 training are two solid options.
OSHA’s personal protective equipment topic page collects the agency’s PPE guidance and publications in one place.
✅ Quick PPE Audit Checklist
- ✅ Written certification identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying, the date(s), and is labeled as a hazard assessment certification
- ✅ PPE matrix names the consensus standard and rating for each task (e.g., Z87+, A6, Type II Class E)
- ✅ Safety glasses under face shields and welding helmets where required
- ✅ Glove cut level justified by task, with entanglement hazards considered
- ✅ Footwear markings match the hazard (Mt, EH, PR as needed), with ASTM F3445 SR or SRO where slips are a hazard
- ✅ Size ranges cover your whole workforce, not just “standard” sizes
- ✅ Hard hat Type and Class match the struck-by and electrical exposure
- ✅ Hi-vis garments meet the Type and Class the work zone requires
- ✅ Training records show content, date, and trainee
- ✅ Assessment has been reviewed against the current PPE standards since Z87.1-2025 and Z89.1-2026 were published
- ⚠️ Employee-owned PPE has been checked for adequacy — the employer is still responsible
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main PPE standards in the United States?
The core consensus standards are ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 for eye and face protection, ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 for head protection, ANSI/ISEA 105 for hand protection, ASTM F2413 for safety footwear, and ANSI/ISEA 107 for high-visibility apparel. OSHA’s rules in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I and 1926 Subpart E set the legal requirements and reference specific editions of several of these.
Is the ANSI Z87.1-2025 standard required by OSHA?
Not directly. OSHA’s eye protection rules incorporate older editions — Z87.1-2010, 2003, and 1989 (R1998). Eyewear meeting a newer edition can satisfy OSHA if it’s at least as effective as those editions, which current-edition protectors generally are. As with the other current PPE standards, the 2025 edition is the best reference for selection and marking, but it isn’t a new legal mandate on its own.
Do I need to replace hard hats because of Z89.1-2026?
No. ISEA states that the 2026 revision doesn’t make currently compliant head protection obsolete, and the new Type I+ and Type II+ classes are optional. Replace hard hats on the manufacturer’s service-life and inspection criteria, not because a new edition was published.
What’s the difference between Z87 and Z87+?
Z87 means the protector passed basic impact testing. Z87+ means it also passed high-velocity impact testing. Tasks that throw particles — grinding, chipping, machining — generally call for Z87+, but your hazard assessment should make that call task by task.
What ANSI cut level do I need for sheet metal?
It depends on edge sharpness, handling force, and dexterity needs. The medium group (A4–A6) is a reasonable place to start evaluating for general sheet handling, and sharp-edge plate or shearing work may call for the heavy group. Document the reasoning in your hazard assessment rather than defaulting to the highest rating, especially near rotating equipment.
Does OSHA require employers to pay for PPE?
In most cases, yes. OSHA requires employers to pay for required PPE, with limited exceptions such as non-specialty safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear that employees are allowed to wear off the job. Specialty footwear, such as boots with metatarsal protection, can fall on the employer depending on how it’s provided — check the payment provisions in 1910.132(h) and 1926.95(d).
Does the construction PPE fit rule apply to small contractors?
Yes. The amended 1926.95(c) applies to construction employers regardless of size. OSHA’s position is that the rule clarifies an existing obligation rather than creating a new one, but the explicit language means ill-fitting PPE can now be cited directly.
Where can I buy PPE standards?
The ANSI Webstore carries Z87.1-2025, ISEA 105-2024, ISEA 107-2020, and ASTM F2413-24 as PDFs, plus packages that combine related titles. ISEA sells its own standards directly, and was the first source for Z89.1-2026. Use code CC2026 for 5% off ANSI orders through December 31, 2026.
📥 Free Resources
- Construction Compliance Checklist — 81-item jobsite self-assessment covering OSHA 1926, ANSI/ASSP consensus standards, quality flow-downs, environmental permits, and subcontractor management, for contractors and fabrication crews working in the field
- ISO 9001 Roadmap — step-by-step implementation guide for manufacturers building or improving a quality management system
- Manufacturing Compliance Checklist — practical compliance reference covering key ISO, OSHA, and quality requirements for production environments
- Supplier Quality Checklist — evaluation tool for assessing supplier quality controls and flow-down compliance before audits or new contracts
Not Sure What to Do Next?
🔹 Still researching which standards apply to your crews? Start with ANSI Safety Standards for Construction for the full map, then check Buy ANSI Safety Standards for purchasing options by title.
🔹 Ready to rebuild your PPE program? Download the Construction Compliance Checklist and use it as your gap list. If your team needs formal management-system training to support it, compare BSI Group’s ISO 45001 training catalog with ISOQAR’s course options.
🔹 Need the standards themselves? Go straight to the ANSI Safety Standards collection, or save on multiple titles by checking bundled standards packages first. Don’t forget code CC2026.
PPE is the last line of defense, and it’s the one inspectors see first. The PPE standards behind the markings — Z87.1, Z89.1, ISEA 105, F2413, ISEA 107 — are what turn “we issued gear” into “we selected the right gear for this hazard.” The Standards Navigator will keep tracking every revision in this family so your matrix stays current without guesswork.
When the Glove Is Rated but the Choice Isn’t Defended
Some operations treat PPE as a purchasing function — buy what’s marked, hand it out, move on. They find out during an incident review that nobody can explain why a task got the protector it did.
Others treat PPE as a hazard-control decision with a paper trail. Their assessments are certified, their matrices cite the standard, and a new edition is a scheduled review rather than a scramble.
The Standards Navigator covers the OSHA rules and PPE standards behind construction and shop-floor safety.
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