ANSI-ISEA Z87.1-2020 Standard
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 prescribes the design, performance specifications, and marking of safety eye and face products, including millions of safety goggles, spectacles, faceshields, and welding helmets, worn by workers in thousands of manufacturing and processing facilities, university and research laboratories, and other occupational settings.
It was developed by the Z87 Committee on Safety Eye and Face Protection, which is administered by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Safety eyewear conforming to the standard is widely used in the U.S., and the standard is incorporated into OSHA regulations for personal protective equipment.
The updates in the revision reflect recognition of innovative product designs and performance capabilities that had not been previously addressed but which can provide appropriate protection against workplace eye and face hazards. These are seen by changes in transmittance allowances to recognize the unique properties of wrap lenses and expanded welding filter shades. The 2020 edition now includes testing, performance and marking for anti-fog lenses and includes relaxed optics criteria (as an option) in response to end-user needs.
The standard includes information that can assist safety professionals and workers in making informed decisions in selecting appropriate eye and face protection such as the “Selection Guide” and “Protector Markings” tools. Readers can utilize the tools to become familiar with the protector markings and the corresponding performance requirements given in the standard, in order to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of a particular device based on the manufacturer’s claims.