ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026: What Changed and What It Means for Your Crew
ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026: What Changed and What It Means for Your Crew
ISEA reported in September 2026 that head injuries accounted for nearly 700 worker fatalities in the last year. That's the reason this revision matters.
ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 published in September 2026. It adds two optional performance designations and leaves the existing ones in place. Here's what changed, what didn't, and what it means for your crew.
Last updated: October 14, 2026
What changed in ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026?
The 2026 revision adds to the standard rather than replacing it. Type I and Type II stay exactly as you know them. What's new are two optional designations, Type I+ and Type II+, marked with a plus sign.
The "+" means a helmet was tested beyond the base standard. To carry it, a helmet has to pass:
1.) Chin strap performance. A "+" helmet requires a chin strap, and that strap must meet specific width, strength, and elongation requirements under test. Adding a strap doesn't earn the marking on its own.
2.) Retention system effectiveness, also called roll-off. The helmet gets tested to stay in position when something tries to pull it off the head, which is what happens in a slip or a trip.
3.)Multi-point impact for Type I+. Type I+ adds front, rear, and side impact protection to the top-impact Type I helmet. ISEA benchmarked select clauses of EN 12492, the European mountaineering standard, when writing this testing.
The revision also adds checks for "+" helmets worn in reverse. And it renames the High Visibility (HV) marking to Enhanced Visibility (EV). Visibility performance didn't change. The rename clarifies that head protection sits outside ANSI/ISEA 107, which covers high visibility apparel.
When does Z89.1-2026 take effect?
It's published and in effect now, but that doesn't mean your helmets changed overnight.
Three separate things happen on three separate timelines. The standard published in September 2026. Manufacturers can't mark a helmet to the 2026 revision until that helmet has been tested to it, so markings will appear over the coming months as testing completes across the industry. And OSHA doesn't currently reference the 2026 revision. Publishing a consensus standard doesn't automatically update an OSHA requirement.
There is no transition deadline and no cutoff date for existing helmets. The revision added designations rather than retiring any.
Are my current safety helmets still OSHA compliant under Z89.1-2026?
Yes. The 2026 revision augments the standard, and helmets marked to the current Z89.1 remain acceptable under OSHA. The "+" marking is optional.
STUDSON has recertification to ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 underway, with helmets headed to COLTS Laboratories for testing. We'll update markings and documentation as those reports come back.
Should I wait to buy safety helmets until Z89.1-2026 takes effect?
No. Buy for the hazards on your site today. Current Type I and Type II helmets remain acceptable under OSHA, and the 2026 revision doesn't change that.
If your hazard assessment calls for a chin strap and tested retention, the SHK-2 is designed, engineered, and built to comply with ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 Type II+ requirements.
What's the difference between Type I and Type II?
Type I helmets are tested for impact to the top of the head. That design has been on job sites for decades, and it was built around falling objects.
Type II helmets are tested for impact and penetration around the shell, which covers the top plus the front, back, and sides. That's multi-directional linear impact protection, and it matters on a site where an operator can slip, trip, or take a hit from an angle other than straight down.
Our SHK-1 helmets are certified to ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 Type II.
Type I+ vs Type II+: what's the difference?
Type I+ adds a required chin strap, retention system effectiveness testing, and front, rear, and side impact protection to the standard top-impact Type I helmet.
Type II+ includes every Type II requirement, which covers impact and penetration around the shell, plus the required chin strap and retention testing.
One point worth flagging. Type I+ is a step up from Type I, and it doesn't replace Type II. The off-center impact testing differs between them, and Type II includes off-center penetration testing that Type I+ doesn't. Type II and Type II+ impact testing is the more demanding of the two.
Does OSHA require a Type II+ helmet or a chin strap?
OSHA's requirement is simple. If there's a head hazard, workers need helmets that meet ANSI/ISEA Z89.1.
OSHA doesn't mandate a style, a chin strap, or a "+" designation. The employer is responsible for matching the helmet to the job's specific hazards. We build past the minimum these standards set, because the Industrial Athlete moves faster than the minimum.
Does a chin strap actually matter on a safety helmet?
Yes. A helmet only protects you while it stays on your head.
On a "+" helmet, the chin strap is tested as part of the protection system, including roll-off retention. Under the 2026 revision, that testing covers strap width, strength, and elongation, plus a retention test that simulates pulling the helmet off a headform. The point of that test is to confirm the helmet stays in place during a fall.
A strap that isn't fastened isn't doing any of that. Fasten it every time.
Does the "+" designation replace Type I and Type II?
No. The 2026 revision adds performance levels on top of the existing ones.
Type I and Type II helmets without chin straps remain acceptable under OSHA, as long as they match the hazards on your job site. A helmet with a tested chin strap and retention system gives you protection those helmets don't, specifically keeping the helmet on the head during a fall. Your hazard assessment decides whether that matters for your crew.
Safety helmet or hard hat: does the name mean anything under Z89.1?
No. "Hard hat" and "safety helmet" are industry terms, and neither one names a Z89.1 type. The standard itself only uses the word helmet. Full brim, cap style, climbing style, these describe what a helmet looks like. Style doesn't tell you performance.
We didn't come from the safety aisle. We started in action sports, where head protection decides whether you walk away, and we built that engineering into gear made for industrial requirements. Our SHK-1 helmets are certified Type II, which means impact and penetration protection around the shell rather than the crown alone. That's a performance claim, and it's on the label.
How do I read the markings inside a safety helmet?
Turn the helmet over. Per the standard, type and class have to be permanently engraved inside the shell or on a permanently affixed label.
Look for the revision year, the type, the class, the manufacturer name, and the model. Then check that against the hazards on your site.
Helmets are tested and certified as a complete system, so components from different manufacturers can't be mixed. The model number on that label is what tells you which replacement parts fit.
Which safety helmets are certified Type II+?
STUDSON announced the SHK-2 at NSC Indianapolis. It's designed, engineered, and built to comply with ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2026 Type II+ requirements, and it's tested for both top and lateral impact. Ship timing is estimated for December 2026.
Our ANSI-certified helmets are in recertification to the 2026 revision now.
Does Z89.1-2026 test for rotational impact?
No. Z89.1-2026 tests linear impact, meaning direct blows.
The standard acknowledges rotational energy in its foreword and sets no performance requirement for it. No standardized, repeatable test method exists yet, and ISEA's head protection product group has committed to keep investigating it. We're researching rotational energy management and tracking that work.
When should a safety helmet be replaced?
Replacement intervals aren't set by Z89.1. The standard doesn't specify them, which means the manufacturer does, and the interval varies by product and by what the helmet is exposed to.
Three things drive the decision. Inspect daily for cracks, deformation, and damage to the shell, the liner, and the retention system. Remove a helmet from service after any significant impact, whether or not damage is visible from the outside. And account for environment, since heat, cold, UV, and chemical exposure all shorten usable life.
Because KOROYD crumples visibly under a severe impact, a daily inspection shows the operator whether the liner has taken a hit and the helmet needs replacing.
For service life on a specific STUDSON model, check the user manual that ships with the helmet or contact us at support@studson.comv
