The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has published ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026, the first revision of the US industrial head protection standard since 2014.
The familiar system stays: Type I helmets protect against impacts to the top of the head, Type II against impacts to the top and sides, and the electrical classes (G, E, C) are unchanged. What’s new are two optional ratings:
- Type I+ adds retention and chin-strap tests, plus impact testing beyond the crown.
- Type II+ adds retention and chin-strap tests on top of the Type II requirements.
The revision also checks “+” helmets when they’re worn back to front, and renames the “HV” marking to “EV” (enhanced visibility) so it isn’t confused with high-visibility clothing. Existing compliant hard hats are not obsolete, and OSHA’s rules still reference earlier editions. Manufacturers can only mark helmets to the 2026 version once they’ve been tested to it, so “+” helmets will arrive gradually.
Interesting for European readers: the US and the EU are moving in the same direction at the same time. EN 397:2025 Type 2 and Z89.1 “+” both bring chin straps and off-crown impact into industrial helmets – the lessons of the climbing world are finally reaching the building site.
Sources: PHCP Pros (ISEA release) · The Standards Navigator · Construction Dive
