Spreading the Word About PPE

TIMELINE 2021

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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.

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

As 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.

MAY 13 ISEA launches its safety equipment industry impact tool.

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

Safety Equipment Protects Workers

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.

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.

Billions in wages and benefits are paid to workers in the safety industry. The safety equipment industry reinvests tens of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy.