ANSI

What is ANSI?

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a non-profit organization that oversees and sets U.S. standards, conformity, and norms for products found in nearly every U.S. sector founded in 1918.

The American National Standards Institute / International Safety Equipment Association (ANSI/ISEA) 105-2016 American National Standard for Hand Protection Classification is the latest revision of a voluntary consensus standard first published in 1999, and revised in 2005, 2011 and 2016.

This standard addresses the classification and testing of hand protection for specific performance properties related to chemical and industrial applications. It provides, or refers to, appropriate test methods and provides pass/fail criteria used by manufacturers to classify their products. End users can use this information to review the documentation received from their supplier to help verify the gloves they are considering meet their needs.

Learn more about ANSI

The organization was initially called the American Engineering Standards Committee (AESC) and was primarily focused only on engineering standards. Then, in 1928, the organization was reorganized and named the American Standards Association. Over time, it developed partnerships with numerous global organizations, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and was eventually renamed in 1969 to its current ANSI title.

Today, ANSI standards are present in virtually every industry and regulate standards and qualitiy control in over 270,000 different companies, promoting U.S. safety standards worldwide.  

What does ANSI do?

ANSI's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.

The update of ANSI 105

ANSI/ISEA 105: 2016 will increase the number of cut levels from 1-5 under ASTM F-1790 to A1-A9 under ASTM F2992 to provide more accurate and defined cut ratings. This allows ANSI to extend the old level 5 standard (1500g-3499g) and offer more accurate cut-resistant glove options beyond level 5.

New ANSI/ISEA LEVELS 

In summary,

ANSI plays an irreplaceable role in the US standards system. Each participant in the electrical industry (inspector, installer, manufacturer, designer, etc.) must endeavor to understand the role ANSI plays and support that role by actively participating in the standards system and in setting the direction ANSI takes in the future.

One of the key ANSI publications is Standards Action. This document is produced biweekly and indicates what standards are under development and out for public review. Standards Action is available on the ANSI web site. This is required reading for anyone involved in the US codes and standards system.