What Does That Marking Actually Mean?: Understanding the Standards Behind Your PPE

Words: Bethany Dailey

Walk onto almost any masonry project, and you will see a variety of markings on personal protective equipment: Z87+, Type I, Type II, Class E, ANSI, and others. We recognize many of these markings and know they are important, but understanding exactly what they represent can help us make better decisions about the PPE we purchase and provide to our employees.

I have spent time in previous articles discussing the importance of selecting PPE that employees will actually wear, listening to the people using the equipment, and not making purchasing decisions based solely on price. There is another important part of that conversation: understanding the standards behind the products we purchase.

At Malta Dynamics, we have the opportunity to see this from both sides. In addition to manufacturing safety equipment, members of our team participate in the standards-development process through organizations including the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection Committee. Manufacturers, engineers, testing experts, safety professionals, and end users work together through these organizations to develop and update the standards that govern how safety equipment is designed, tested, and marked.

For a contractor, there is no need to become an expert on every section of an ANSI standard. However, understanding some of the basic markings can help ensure the equipment you are purchasing is appropriate for the hazards your employees encounter.

Z87 And Z87+: There Is A Difference
Most contractors are familiar with the Z87 marking found on safety glasses. You have probably also seen Z87+. The difference is important.

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 establishes performance and marking requirements for occupational eye and face protection. The "+" marking identifies impact-rated protectors. For masonry contractors, that distinction is particularly relevant. Cutting block, grinding mortar, drilling, chipping, and similar operations can expose workers to flying particles and debris. Impact protection is a routine consideration in our industry, not an unusual one.

The markings can communicate other information as well. Different hazards, including dust, splash, and optical radiation, can require different types of protection. The important point is that a pair of glasses being sold as "safety glasses" does not tell you everything you need to know. The markings provide information about the hazards for which that product was designed and tested.

The standard continues to evolve. ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 is the newest revision and includes updates to areas such as product markings, impact terminology, lens performance, and minimum coverage. As products and testing methods improve, standards are periodically revised to reflect what the industry has learned.

Head Protection Is Evolving
We are seeing significant changes in head protection as well. For years, the primary distinction has been Type I versus Type II. In basic terms, Type I head protection addresses impact primarily to the top of the head, while Type II includes additional lateral impact requirements.

Both have applications in construction. Masonry workers can be exposed to falling material, tools, scaffolding, equipment, and other hazards that do not always originate directly overhead. OSHA has also encouraged employers to consider Type II head protection with chin straps for construction environments involving falling objects, equipment impacts, awkward working positions, and slip, trip, and fall hazards.

ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 takes another step by introducing Type I+ and Type II+ designations. Type I+ builds upon Type I requirements with additional requirements that include a chin strap, retention testing, and off-center force-transmission testing at the front, rear, and sides. Type II+ builds upon Type II requirements with additional chin-strap and retention requirements.

It is important to understand what this change does and does not mean. The introduction of Type I+ and Type II+ does not automatically make existing Type I or Type II head protection obsolete. Properly maintained equipment that meets the applicable requirements can continue to be used, provided it remains in serviceable condition and is appropriate for the work being performed.

What contractors should expect is that these new designations will begin appearing on products and may eventually appear more frequently in project specifications. General contractors and project owners can establish PPE requirements for their job sites that go beyond minimum regulatory requirements. As the industry adopts newer standards and equipment, those requirements can change.

For masonry subcontractors, that makes communication increasingly important. Before mobilizing to a project, understand the GC's or owner's PPE requirements and compare those requirements with the equipment your crews are currently using. A helmet may still be perfectly serviceable but not meet the specification established for a particular project.

The same consideration should be applied when purchasing new equipment. There is no reason to replace usable equipment simply because a newer designation exists, but contractors purchasing head protection today should understand the current standard, the designation of the equipment being purchased, and the requirements they are likely to encounter on future projects. PPE is typically purchased with the expectation that it will remain in service for some time, so understanding where standards and job site requirements are moving is part of making a good purchasing decision.

OSHA Regulations And Consensus Standards
Another area that can create confusion is the relationship between OSHA regulations and ANSI standards. They are related, but they serve different purposes.

OSHA establishes and enforces workplace safety regulations. ANSI-accredited consensus standards establish detailed performance, testing, and marking requirements through a process involving manufacturers, users, safety professionals, and other stakeholders.

Those two processes do not always move at the same pace. OSHA's current construction regulation for eye and face protection references ANSI Z87.1 editions from 1989, 2003, and 2010. Construction head-protection regulations reference Z89.1 editions from 1997, 2003, and 2009, while also providing a pathway for employers to demonstrate that other protection is at least as effective. Meanwhile, the current industry standards have advanced to ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 and ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026.

That does not mean equipment manufactured to an earlier referenced standard suddenly becomes unusable when a newer consensus standard is published. It illustrates the difference between regulatory requirements and the continuing development of safety standards. Materials improve, testing methods improve, job sites change, and manufacturers learn from years of field experience. Consensus standards are updated to incorporate those developments.

For contractors, OSHA compliance remains essential, but it is worth understanding that meeting a minimum regulatory requirement and understanding the current state of PPE standards are not always the same thing.

Understand What You Are Buying
There is one final distinction worth understanding. ANSI develops and accredits the process used to establish consensus standards; it does not test and approve every piece of PPE sold in the marketplace. A manufacturer representing a product as conforming to a particular standard is responsible for ensuring that product meets the applicable requirements.

That becomes increasingly important as contractors have more purchasing options. PPE is available through safety distributors, industrial suppliers, retailers, and countless online marketplaces. A statement in an online product description that something "meets ANSI standards" should not necessarily be the end of your evaluation.

Look at the actual product markings. Understand which standard and edition the manufacturer claims the product meets. Purchase from manufacturers and suppliers that can explain the testing behind their products and provide appropriate documentation when needed.

You do not need to memorize ANSI standards to make good PPE decisions. Manufacturers like Malta Dynamics participate in the standards-development process because it is our responsibility to understand these requirements, contribute what we learn from the field, and translate those requirements into products that protect the people using them.

For contractors, the takeaway is straightforward. Understand the hazards your employees face, understand the basic markings on the PPE you provide, and stay aware of the requirements being established by the general contractors and owners you work for. When purchasing new equipment, consider not only what meets today's requirements, but what you are likely to encounter during the useful life of that equipment.

Standards will continue to change as the industry learns and technology improves. Contractors do not need to follow every committee meeting or every revision, but understanding what the markings mean will help ensure that the PPE you purchase is appropriate for the work your people are doing.

What Does That Marking Actually Mean?: Understanding the Standards Behind Your PPE

About: Safety Library

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