International Safety Equipment Association COVID Impact Report

2020-2021

COVID-19 Impact Report

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Protecting People Is What We Do

I

n my 39 years in the safety industry, I’ve never seen the likes of COVID-19.

Yes, there have been many pandemics, health emergencies and natural disasters in my lifetime, and, unfortunately, I expect to experience more. But this virus changed the course of history. And as we acknowledge and mourn the many who suffered illness and loss, we must also recognize the valuable lessons learned, honor the heroes who stepped up and served, and applaud the increased prioritization of safety in the workplace.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was mostly safety professionals who knew that the abbreviation PPE stood for personal protective equipment. Today, PPE is part of the public lexicon, and the world understands the importance of what has long been an invaluable necessity for many.

With this heightened profile for PPE comes increased responsibility for those of us in the safety field. While we have always ensured the equipment we produce and provide meets applicable standards and performs as promised, more people than ever must now understand exactly what that means. ISEA members are committed to the steadfast duty of supporting and continually educating those who have a role in keeping workers safe, ensuring they know which safety products they need and what to look for to verify product conformity, authenticity and proper use.

We’ve got our work cut out for us. But our community is up to the challenge. Protecting people is what we do. It’s what we did throughout this historic health emergency, and it’s what we will continue to do, so long as there are hazards to protect against.

Stay safe out there, Tom Votel chair , isea

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board of trustees

2022-2024 ISEA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Tom Votel, Chair President & CEO, Ergodyne Nate Kogler, Vice Chair Vice President Products & Engineering, Bradley Corporation Kelly Kolb, Treasurer Senior Business Development Manager, Kimberly-Clark Professional Craig Wallentine, Immediate Past Chair Global Business Development Manager, DuPont Safety & Construction (ret.)

Steve Blanco President, Americas Business Segment, MSA Wells Bullard President & CEO, Bullard Ned Hickok President, OccuNomix International Elke Hirschman President/General Manager, Kishigo Rick Sustello SureWerx (ret.)

Rodney Taylor Director of Sales US, Watson Gloves

2020-2021

COVID-19 Impact Report 4 Coming Together to Fight COVID-19

ISEA and its members stepped up in a big way to protect the public during the pandemic

6 Safeguarding the Safety Equipment Supply Chain

ISEA worked with lawmakers to add respirators to the PREP Act, fight counterfeit products, build a more resilient safety equipment supply chain and more

8 Updates Help Keep Workers Safe With safety in the spotlight as never before, ISEA continued its efforts to ensure critical standard updates were made

10 Safety Sales Training Program Goes Virtual ISEA’s QSSP training program had to pivot in the midst of the pandemic

12 Spreading the Word About PPE

During the pandemic, ISEA established the safety equipment industry as a credible source and expanded its reach through online resources, interviews with major news outlets, a video docuseries and more

14 Safety Equipment Stars

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Coming Together to Fight COVID-19

D

isaster response is nothing new to ISEA members. After all, they’ve been there through oil spills, hurricanes, terrorist attacks and countless other disasters. But COVID-19 was different.

Even though early intelligence warned COVID-19 would be big, ISEA members had no idea just how much of an impact the virus would have on the healthcare system.

“Hospitals run on a just-in-time system.

And so when they were hit with all these 4

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ISEA and its members stepped up in a big way to protect the public during the pandemic additional patients and the medical supply chain was emptied, the safety industry had a large surge in demand for certified worker protection gear,” says Craig Wallentine, immediate past chair of the ISEA board of trustees. “That wasn’t the biggest issue, though, because we’re accustomed to abnormal demand spikes. What caught everybody by surprise was that the demand just kept rising and rising beyond anything we had seen before.”

ISEA members responded quickly, bringing new capacity online and establishing additional supply partnerships.

They came together to do what they do best: protect people.

ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS During the pandemic, ISEA stepped up its role as a liaison between the federal government and safety equipment manufacturers. From the very beginning, ISEA was on hand to answer questions from the feds about how much personal protective equipment (PPE) was being made, identify disruptions in production and develop innovative solutions.

ISEA worked closely with the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) on several fronts, including fast-tracking the approval of powered airpurifying respirators (PAPRs) for healthcare use in accordance with federal standards.

These approvals had been in the works for years prior to the pandemic.

“ISEA then immediately mobilized bipartisan support in Washington, D.C., to add NIOSH-approved respirators to the PREP Act [part of the CARES Act],” says Wells Bullard, president and CEO of Bullard and a member of the ISEA board of trustees. “That helped ensure access to more essential respiratory protection products, especially for healthcare workers on the front lines.”

PRODUCTION SUPPORT ISEA also bolstered members’ production capabilities. In several cases, the association helped by playing matchmaker among members.

“One thing ISEA did that was super helpful was they connected us to Toyota, which was looking for ways to help during the pandemic,” Bullard says. “[Bullard] partnered with Toyota because of their expertise in lean manufacturing to help us increase capacity quickly. They were able to help us figure out ways to make the products for healthcare workers even more effectively and efficiently.”

As a result of such collaborative efforts, manufacturers increased production and met demand extremely quickly, considering the scale of the situation.

TIMELINE

2020 JANUARY 9 The WHO announces a mysterious coronavirus-related pneumonia in Wuhan, China.

JANUARY 21 The CDC confirms the first U.S. coronavirus case.

JANUARY 24 ISEA begins bimonthly calls with the CDC about PPE supply and demand.

JANUARY 31 The WHO declares the novel coronavirus a global health emergency.

FEBRUARY 24 The U.S. declares the novel coronavirus a public health emergency.

[CONTINUES ON PAGE 7]

EDUCATING END USERS For millions of people, the pandemic was the first time they had ever heard of PPE, let alone worn it on a regular basis.

“All of a sudden, PPE became a household term around the world,” Bullard says. “The pandemic made everyone more aware of the importance of personal health and safety, as well as the responsibility that we all have to our communities in advocating for and demonstrating personal health and safety.”

Unfortunately, misinformation proliferated about how PPE can and should be used.

Because safety equipment is only effective when used correctly, ISEA took it upon itself to perform outreach and educate end users.

“It was really challenging in the beginning. People were asking for information on how to reuse disposable masks or how to wash nonwashable respirators,” Wallentine says. “We knew we had to do something. So ISEA consulted multiple manufacturers on safety education and then said, ‘OK, as the leading PPE association, representing the best in our industry, our positions and recommendations are these,’ which was more effective.”

ANTI-COUNTERFEIT MEASURES With demand at a fever pitch, several foreign companies began producing counterfeit products to profit off the pandemic. And consumers — as well as federal agents — at times found it difficult to distinguish between real and fake products.

“The product managers within ISEA member companies have a deep knowledge of how their products and designs are certified to perform. These experts worked closely with federal agencies to help identify counterfeit products,” Wallentine says.

“If they suspected fakes or fraud, ISEA and its members helped verify product authenticity.”

RESPONSE PLANNING Now that the major respiratory PPE supply problems have been resolved, ISEA is looking to the future. COVID-19 is not the last disaster its members will encounter, which is why as an association, it’s working with the government to share what it has learned and how it can help better prepare the industry and its members going forward.

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ADVOCACY

Safeguarding the Safety Equipment Supply Chain ISEA worked with lawmakers to add respirators to the PREP Act, fight counterfeit products, build a more resilient safety equipment supply chain and more

H

ealthcare workers and first responders urgently needed personal protective equipment, such as respirators, while on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ISEA collaborated with the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) to bring NIOSH-approved respirators to market, moving swiftly to safeguard people’s health and safety in a time of crisis. But the organization’s work was only beginning.

From educating legislators and the public on PPE fraud and counterfeit products to working with the U.S. government to futureproof the safety equipment supply chain against disruptions, ISEA has been in the trenches of the fight for safe and effective PPE.

SHORING UP THE AT-RISK RESPIRATOR SUPPLY As the demand for NIOSH-approved N95 respirators exploded in 2020, safety equipment companies faced a distressing dilemma: Ramping up production to meet respirator demand posed legal risks for companies and health risks for their employees. ISEA members went to Congress with a solution: Add NIOSH-approved respirators to the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. This law would shift the liability of items needed for a public health emergency response to the federal government.

In the House of Representatives, Don Bacon (R-NE), Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) were the first to step forward, co-sponsoring a bill to add respirators to the PREP Act. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) offered the companion bill in the Senate. Their action gave then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) legislative text to add to the CARES Act he was drafting at the time.

Thanks to these six elected officials, Sections 3012 and 3013 of the CARES Act added respirators to the PREP Act. The bill became law on March 27, 2020.

TIMELINE

2020 [CONTINUED]

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SERVING AS THE AUTHORITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES The U.S. government called upon senior executives at ISEA to serve as experts in the PPE field and the industry’s response to the pandemic.

• July 30, 2020: Former ISEA President Charles Johnson testified before the Senate Committee on Finance about protecting the reliability of the U.S. medical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. He advocated for the safety and efficacy of the PPE used to combat COVID-19, and explained the need to better prepare for and respond to future health emergencies.

• September 23, 2020: ISEA’s Senior Director of Policy Dan Glucksman appeared before the U.S. International Trade Commission to testify at a public hearing for investigation 332-580: COVID-19 Related Goods: The U.S. Industry, Market, Trade, and Supply Chain Challenges. “The key to addressing any future surges in PPE demand comes down to augmenting the SNS [Strategic National Stockpile] and doing a much better job in anticipating how and where demand will emanate,” Glucksman said. “The goal we all share is to get PPE into the hands of people who need it, when they need it, and ensure that it is safe and effective.”

MARCH 3 The HHS says the U.S. strategic national stockpile has about 1% of the required respirator masks needed to equip health workers in a full-blown pandemic.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE When it comes to supplying PPE, the industry’s role is to better position the U.S. for future pandemics and other emergencies. Since 2009, when PPE stocks were depleted due to the flu pandemic, ISEA and its members urged Congress and the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to act in ensuring the U.S. is prepared to respond to health safety threats. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, ISEA has worked with the U.S. government to help restock the SNS and support a better state of readiness.

ISEA established a close relationship with President Biden’s COVID-19 response team to ensure its members are the authoritative voice in advocating for better quantitative forecasting and management for future emergencies; to establish a more robust and regular partnership with the government and other entities that must prepare increased quantities of these products for future emergencies; and to collaborate on additional policy solutions that forecast demand and better manage supply through stockpiling, production capacity support, and other solutions that price future surge demand into the supply chain.

MARCH 11 The WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.

KEEPING THE MARKET SAFE Throughout the pandemic, ISEA and its members have strived to keep the market protected. They have strongly condemned price gouging and PPE hoarding, as well as worked with federal agencies and international governments to fight fraud and counterfeit products.

An ISEA ad hoc anticounterfeiting subcommittee was quickly established to respond to immediate issues, including providing examples of scams and counterfeit goods to federal agencies. The committee also educated the public on how to avoid fake PPE products.

MARCH 24 The FDA issues an emergency use authorization (EUA) for imported, non-NIOSHapproved disposable filtering face-piece respirators.

MARCH 27 President Trump signs the CARES Act into law, which grants liability protection for respirators.

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STANDARDS

Updates Help Keep Workers Safe

With safety in the spotlight as never before, ISEA continued its efforts to ensure critical standard updates were made

Standard Updates EYE AND FACE PROTECTION In 2020, ISEA updated ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection.

The enhanced standard matches the protector to the hazard and includes updates responsive to the evolving needs of workers, particularly those engaged in specific tasks or applications, such as in processing facilities or research laboratories.

The 2020 version includes testing, performance and marking criteria for lenses with anti-fog properties.

Other key updates address the emergence of innovative product designs such as wraparound lens configurations and expanded welding filter shades, which past editions did not include.

The Z87.1-2020 landing page was accessed 19,700 times from 2020 to 2021.

T

he safety equipment marketplace is based on product performance standards, and ISEA is a recognized, accredited developer of consensus standards. The association manages all aspects of the American National Standards under its purview, from drafting and consensus development to approval, publication, interpretation, promotion and periodic updating.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people referenced and accessed many ISEA safety standards as the world learned about the importance of trusted safety equipment. Here is a brief snapshot of some of the updates that were made.

TIMELINE

2020 [CONTINUED]

The most accessed standard in 2020–2021 was Z89.1-2014 for Industrial Head Protection.

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HIVIZ SAFETY APPAREL ISEA released ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) in September 2020. The fifth edition of this voluntary industry consensus standard, this update emphasizes configurations and design requirements, includes specific criteria for single-use disposable coveralls and introduces measurement of nighttime luminance.

“One of the easiest ways to help workers be safe is to make them more visible, especially when working alongside traffic, with heavy machinery or at night,” says Tim Gardner, chairman of the ISEA High-Visibility Products Group and regulatory affairs manager at 3M Company. “This revised and enhanced HVSA standard serves to meet end-user needs, taking into consideration all occupational tasks, hazards and environments.”

This updated version includes specific criteria for a single-use disposable coverall, and it introduces the concept of measuring the overall distribution of nighttime luminance of a garment.

APRIL 3 The FDA issues an EAU for non-NIOSH-approved disposable filtering face-piece respirators manufactured in China.

PPE CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT ANSI approved the revised ISEAdeveloped national consensus standard for conformity assessment of safety and PPE in June 2021.

This updated version, available for free, addresses improvements and introduces greater flexibility to promote wider voluntary adoption.

Specifically, ANSI/ISEA 125-2021 Conformity Assessment of Safety and Personal Protective Equipment provides a systematic way for a supplier to verify that a product meets the requirements of a performance standard and to communicate that verification to the purchaser and user.

It also includes standardized requirements for initial and ongoing testing, process quality management, record keeping and surveillance, and declaration of conformity. Recognizing the diversity of products, hazards, users and suppliers, it offers three alternative methods of conformity assessment, ranging from in-house testing and monitoring to full thirdparty certification.

The ISEA Standards Policy and Planning Committee leadership developed ANSI/ISEA 125, and a consensus panel of producers, users, regulators and experts reviewed and approved it prior to its approval as an American National Standard.

APRIL 15 ISEA members collaborate with the federal government to remove fraudulent and unauthorized respirators from the supply chain.

EYE AND FACE PROTECTION AGAINST BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS In July 2021, ANSI approved ANSI/ ISEA Z87.62 – 2021 American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection Devices for Preventing Exposures Caused by Sprays or Spurts of Blood or Body Fluids.

“Throughout the COVID pandemic, we’ve seen an increased emphasis on eye and face safety equipment to reduce risk to healthcare workers from biohazards such as a spray or spurt of bodily fluid. New safety products quickly entered the market attempting to meet demand,” says Jim Harris, PhD, PE, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and vice-chair of the Accredited Standards Committee on Safety Standards for Eye Protection, Z87.

“However, there was no standard by which to evaluate how well these products performed on tests simulating some spray or spurt situations,” he adds. “Now, we have specific performance criteria to better inform workers regarding the safety equipment they depend on to be protected from potentially infectious bodily fluids.”

JULY 30 ISEA testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance about ensuring the reliability of the U.S. medical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises.

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LEARNING

Safety Sales Training Program Goes Virtual

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SEA is no stranger to educating sales and marketing professionals on the technical and regulatory fundamentals of workplace safety and health. Prior to the pandemic, one of its programs, the Qualified Safety Sales Professional (QSSP) training program, took place in person with direct, live contact and demonstrations from industry expert instructors. However, given the global shutdowns and travel restrictions at the onset of the pandemic, ISEA canceled in-person courses to ensure the safety of students and faculty.

But this vital educational program couldn’t stay shuttered for long. ISEA and QSSP faculty quickly transitioned the QSSP program to a virtual learning experience to accommodate interested safety sales professionals while ensuring the integrity of

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ISEA’s QSSP training program had to pivot in the midst of the pandemic

the curriculum. The QSSP program covers the principles and practices of occupational health and safety, as well as the fundamentals of industrial hygiene, risk management, safety engineering, health and safety regulations, and workers’ compensation.

Working directly with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory agencies, faculty members quickly updated course materials to include the effects of COVID-19.

MEETING DEMAND AT A CRITICAL TIME The first 100% remote virtual training QSSP program took place August 24-28, 2020.

With top-rated virtual classroom technology and courses taught live by experienced safety faculty, remote attendees broadened their technical expertise in health and safety,

Advanced Safety Sales Training Now Available

TIMELINE

2020 [CONTINUED]

SEPTEMBER 23 ISEA testifies before the U.S. International Trade Commission to assist with an investigation about medical goods related to COVID-19.

OCTOBER 23 ISEA establishes an anti-counterfeiting ad hoc subcommittee.

DECEMBER 11 The FDA issues an EUA for the first COVID-19 vaccine.

DECEMBER 16 ISEA releases its award-winning “Beyond the Mask” video to spotlight the safety equipment industry’s COVID-19 response.

The ISEA education team has finalized an advanced training program for safety sales professionals. The inaugural QSSP-A course will take place August 2-5, 2022.

learned about the complex regulations imposed by OSHA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies, and earned the right to use the QSSP designation. Several courses also offered OSHA 30 certification as a bonus credential.

ISEA then developed additional course options for students to accommodate flexible work and training schedules.

Students could opt to complete the training online via live webinar, at their own pace on demand, or with a mix of both through the QSSP blended option.

Safety professionals were grateful to ISEA for the quick shift to remote education at a time when in-person training was not possible. Since ISEA launched QSSP virtually, 231 more students have become qualified to sell safety equipment and technology at a time when safety in the workplace has never been more important.

Virtual QSSP courses are here to stay.

Online training offers flexibility to those who prefer a remote work and learning environment. It also gives ISEA the chance to qualify even more safety sales professionals, broadening its reach.

This training program is the next step for QSSP designees. The course design reinforces the foundational objective of QSSP — knowledgebased selling — through a strategically deeper session agenda emphasizing the applied and practical aspects of occupational safety and health.

The four-day in-person course features 2.5 days of interactive presentations, discussions and practical problem-solving. Participants also spend one day at the ENSA professional training facility, where they undergo technical training specific to their sales expertise, including hands-on practical scenarios.

Those who complete the QSSP-A training program and pass the competency test in August 2022 will be the first to carry the QSSP-A designation, which identifies them as the most qualified in safety sales.

QSSP IN-PERSON COURSES TO RESUME ISEA will resume its in-person QSSP training program in August 2022. While virtual course offerings are a good option for some, others prefer hands-on training. With a class size of no more than 40 students, the intimate setting offers face-to-face contact with industry expert instructors.

The in-person course also offers networking opportunities only possible in a live classroom environment. While all QSSP graduates become a part of an online alumni community, attendees of the in-person class meet their fellow safety sales professionals, making lifelong career connections.

231

virtual qssp graduates

QSSP: 2020-2021

By the Numbers

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virtual qssp courses held

2,300+

total qssp graduates

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TIMELINE

2021 [CONTINUED]

JANUARY 24 ISEA establishes a relationship with the new White House COVID-19 response team under the Biden administration.

JANUARY 26 Global COVID-19 cases surpass 100 million.

FEBRUARY 18 Appendix A, the CDC’s list of nonNIOSH-approved respirators authorized under the EAU, is updated for the last time.

MAY 13 ISEA launches its safety equipment industry impact tool.

MAY 25 ISEA premieres its “Protecting Workers, Protecting Lives” docuseries.

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ENGAGEMENT

Spreading the Word About PPE

During the pandemic, ISEA established the safety equipment industry as a credible source and expanded its reach through online resources, interviews with major news outlets, a video docuseries and more

A

s the SARS-CoV-2 virus quickly spread around the world, personal protective equipment (PPE) became a top trending topic in the news and across social media platforms, thrusting safety into the spotlight as never before. As the voice of the safety equipment industry, ISEA ensured its members, industry stakeholders and the public were informed and educated about the state and role of PPE throughout the pandemic and beyond.

WHY THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY MATTERS To demonstrate the safety equipment industry’s impact across the country, during

the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, ISEA launched the online PPE Economic and Safety Impact Tool in May 2021.

The tool offers an in-depth, state-bystate look into the 111 million workers protected by safety equipment, as well as the economic activity the $71.6 billion industry produces throughout the United States.

ISEA members are using the data to explain to industry and government stakeholders how important the industry is, both as an ongoing supplier of workplace safety equipment and as a source of essential PPE for American workers.

Safety Equipment Protects Workers

INTERNATIONAL SAFETY E QUI P M E N T ASSOCI ATI ON

Millions of American workers rely on safety equipment to get their jobs done without injury or discomfort.

The manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing of safety equipment create jobs all across the economy.

THE ONLINE COVID PPE DESTINATION In early 2020, ISEA developed a COVID-19 landing page on safetyequipment.org. The page was updated often to provide the latest resources on government action, media attention, product supply and other relevant topics for both the safety equipment industry and the public. By the end of 2022, the landing page had been visited more than 57,000 times.

TELLING THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY’S STORY ISEA worked with its members to leverage the safety equipment industry’s enhanced profile. It helped the industry develop a positive, durable reputation by educating stakeholders and the public about actions the PPE industry took in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• PPEprepared.org: This resource, which launched in December 2020, features a video that spotlights the industry’s challenges at the onset of the pandemic and its efforts to ensure safety equipment reached those on the front lines. The association also published a white paper, available free for download. PPE Policy Prescriptions – Preparing for the Next Public Health Emergency offers policy resources necessary to ensure greater PPE preparedness for future health events.

• Protecting Workers, Protecting Lives: To highlight ISEA’s commitment to workplace safety, ISEA launched this video docuseries, which spotlights the many facets of the safety equipment industry and the innovation taking place within the industry. ISEA collaborated with eight leading influencers from safety equipment organizations to discuss safety standards and manufacturing. The series has reached more than 106,000 views.

Billions in wages and benefits are paid to workers in the safety industry.

PPE IN THE NEWS When shortages of respiratory protection and other medical PPE became international news, ISEA convened a COVID communications task force. The group developed a plan that would identify ISEA as the source for credible information regarding PPE and its supply chain, and assure stakeholders that PPE providers were taking all possible steps to maintain an uninterrupted supply of vital safety equipment.

By mid-2020, ISEA executives had been featured in major international consumer, business and political news outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, Politico and Roll Call; made appearances across all major TV networks; and more.

THE PROVEN VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP Despite the challenges COVID-19 presented, ISEA continued to drive great value for its members. As ISEA pivoted from in-person meetings to online education and forums in 2020 and 2021, standing and new members alike took advantage of the opportunities to continue learning, sharing and conducting business to advance the safety industry. And 10 new partners in safety recognized the value of ISEA membership, joining the association at the height of the pandemic.

The safety equipment industry reinvests tens of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy.

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(L to R) Brian Myers, 3M; Rep. Bacon; Joe Milot, PIP; Rep. Tonko; Dan Glucksman, ISEA; Rep. Langevin; Craig Wallentine, ISEA past-chair and DuPont (ret.); and Rahil Hasan, Honeywell

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Safety Equipment Stars ISEA presents awards to industry influencers and scholarships to up-and-comers in the field ISEA RECOGNIZES THE WORK OF TWO SAFETY EQUIPMENT EXPERTS The Ryan-Willson Service Award of Excellence is the North American safety equipment industry’s highest award. It honors those who have had distinguished careers within an ISEA member company and used their talents to improve the broader industry.

2021 Recipient: Jeff Birnker Jeff Birnker is vice president of technical services at Moldex-Metric, a leading manufacturer of hearing and respiratory protection in worker safety.

He has served in multiple leadership roles within ISEA for decades, including both chair and vice chair of the hearing and respiratory product groups. In these roles, he has worked closely with members and ISEA staff to draft, publish and promote the adoption of safety equipment performance standards, as well as educate various audiences on the technical aspects of PPE.

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2020 Recipient: J.P. Sankpill J.P. Sankpill was director of safety regulatory compliance at Essilor of America, a leading manufacturer of prescription safety glasses. Sankpill was a dedicated steward in the safety products industry for more than 25 years. As president of U.S. Safety, he served on the ISEA board of trustees for four years, and he served as chairman of the Z87 Committee for nearly a decade, shepherding two revision cycles of the widely recognized ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 standard. In his latest role with ISEA, Sankpill chaired the Standards Planning and Policy Committee, leading successful strategic planning efforts. He is remembered as a thoughtful leader who welcomed all perspectives to find common ground.

Six Members of Congress Honored with Distinguished Service Award Each year, ISEA presents the Robert B. Hurley Distinguished Service Award to those whose efforts have advanced and promoted workplace safety and health. The award was not presented in 2020, but in 2021, ISEA presented the award to the six members of Congress who played pivotal roles in protecting America’s supply of respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic: • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) • Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) • Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) • Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) • Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) • Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) These six representatives and senators sponsored bills and provided the language and influence necessary to add respirators to the PREP Act. Thanks to them, manufacturers, distributors and others who provide these vital devices and train workers to use them were able to ramp up production for the public health emergency response.

ISEA GRANTS ANNUAL $2,500 SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNDERGRADUATES Every year, ISEA awards the Lincoln C. Bailey Memorial Scholarship to a rising junior or senior at an accredited four-year college or university who is the child of an ISEA member company employee. The scholarship honors the memory of Lincoln C. Bailey, an industry leader who expressed a strong interest in education throughout his lengthy career.

ISEA also awards the Daniel K. Shipp Scholarship annually to a student in an accredited college or university majoring in occupational safety, industrial hygiene or a related field. The scholarship honors Daniel K. Shipp’s contributions to ISEA and the safety and health of American workers during his 25 years as ISEA president.

Lincoln C. Bailey Memorial Scholarship Winners Tiffany Chiem, a nursing major at San Diego State University whose father works at MSA Safety Company, won the 2020 Lincoln C. Bailey Memorial Scholarship.

Chiem is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, the Student Nurses Association and the Vietnamese Student Association. She has also completed four nursing rotations and was selected for a competitive nursing externship on a medical surgical unit at Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center. She hopes to continue her education to become a nurse practitioner, specializing in labor and delivery.

Brandon Brewer, an environmental science major at the University of Pittsburgh whose father works at MSA Safety Company, won the 2021 Lincoln C. Bailey Memorial Scholarship.

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2021

Brewer is minoring in environmental engineering and studio arts, with certifications in geographic information systems and sustainability. He hopes to continue his education and conduct research on ecosystem-human interactions and climate change.

Daniel K. Shipp Scholarship Winners

[CONTINUED]

Jordan Keelan, an occupational safety and health management student at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), won the 2020 Daniel K. Shipp Scholarship.

Keelan is an active member of GVSU’s chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Keelan has seen firsthand the importance of health and safety management across communities. “My future career is vital to a safe and healthy workplace and community,” Keelan says, “and my education could ultimately help save lives.”

Adeola Adelekan, a human health major at Emory University, won the 2021 Daniel K. Shipp Scholarship.

She was recommended for the scholarship due to her dependable and hardworking nature, abundant drive and determination to influence healthcare policy for all.

Adelekan hopes to continue her education and someday work in healthcare policy, focusing on minority populations.

MAY 27 The FDA says the supply of respirators has increased significantly and recommends that healthcare transition away from a crisis capacity strategy.

JUNE 30 The FDA revokes EAUs for non-NIOSHapproved respirators.

AUGUST 4 ISEA joins HIDA and AdvaMed in urging the White House supply chain disruption task force to discuss solutions to transportation delays that are hampering the supply chain’s COVID-19 response.

OCTOBER 13 Biden accelerates goods movement for PPE and other COVID-19 response supplies.

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Get qualified as a safety specialist customers will trust

BENEFITS • Qualified as a Trusted Partner in Safety • QSSP Community & Networking • Earn Official Professional Designation

MULTIPLE TRAINING DATES • In-Person • Webinar • On-Demand

QSSP The letters to look for when buying PPE

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Connect with Sharon Tolson, Education Manager stolson@safetyequipment.org | 703.595.1695 ext. 118