The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is calling on the Trump administration to exempt personal protective equipment (PPE), safety equipment, and their components from the tariffs imposed on April 2, 2025. According to ISEA leadership, these products are essential to protecting the nation’s workforce and should be considered critical to national security and economic strength.
Tariffs on PPE threaten access to lifesaving equipment
ISEA expressed deep concern that the new tariffs threaten the availability and affordability of PPE and safety equipment relied upon by more than 125 million American workers each day—including research and laboratory professionals.
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“Workers in nearly every industry in the US, from the trenches and tarmacs, fields and factories, highways and byways, to docks and warehouses, require PPE to keep safe on the job,” said Cam Mackey, President and CEO of ISEA. “The high costs of these new tariffs threaten worker safety, and America’s ability to outcompete against other nations as the world’s top economic superpower.”
For lab managers, rising costs and supply shortages could directly impact the availability of critical protective equipment such as gloves, eyewear, lab coats, respirators, and chemical-resistant gear. These disruptions are prompting urgent reassessments of lab manager PPE sourcing strategies to maintain compliance and protect staff.
Still, the cost of safety is often lower than the cost of inaction. Investing in PPE helps prevent accidents that lead to lost productivity, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. As noted in previous Lab Manager reporting, even modest spending on the right safety equipment and training can yield significant long-term savings—making the case for lab managers to defend safety line items during budget discussions.
PPE supply chains depend on global manufacturing
Most of the PPE used in laboratories—including nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and specialized protective clothing—is manufactured overseas. Domestic PPE manufacturers also depend on globally sourced components to maintain production.
ISEA warned that the tariffs on PPE will disrupt supply chains and jeopardize access to high-quality equipment when it is most urgently needed. The association also cautioned that US-based manufacturers cannot immediately replace international suppliers. It would take years to develop enough domestic manufacturing capacity to meet the nation’s demand for worker safety products, leaving a dangerous gap in protection for research and lab teams, the group said.
Lab manager PPE sourcing strategies must adapt
Employers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, automotive, distribution, and food service already operate on thin margins. Laboratory operations are no exception. Cost increases for PPE could put added pressure on already tight lab budgets while complicating efforts to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.
ISEA emphasized that PPE and safety equipment are essential—not optional—to maintaining the health, safety, and productivity of America’s workforce and first responders. Policies that restrict access to lifesaving equipment, the association warned, could endanger both individual workers and the nation’s overall economic strength.
Lab managers may need to take a proactive approach by:
- Reviewing current PPE inventories to assess stock levels and identify critical shortfalls.
- Working closely with suppliers to anticipate price changes and sourcing challenges.
- Adjusting budget forecasts to accommodate potential cost increases.
- Evaluating alternative suppliers or considering certified refurbished safety equipment, such as respirators and gas detection monitors, when appropriate.
- Reinforcing safety communication with staff to manage any changes in PPE availability.
- Revisiting the hierarchy of controls to eliminate or reduce hazards, minimizing PPE needs. Prevention-through-design approaches, such as using fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, and safer substitutions, can help labs maintain safety standards when PPE access is strained.
Lab managers are accountable for laboratory safety and must navigate rising PPE costs with strategic sourcing, budgeting, and hazard mitigation. In many cases, they will face tough decisions about whether to pass expenses to customers and stakeholders or absorb them internally—potentially limiting research resources. Staying proactive will be key to maintaining safety and sustaining scientific operations as market conditions shift under pressure from new tariffs on PPE.
