September 2025 Overview: Key Standards in Environment, Health Protection, and Safety

Looking back at September 2025, the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety sector saw a distinctive range of standards published, reflecting the steady evolution of regulatory frameworks, analytical methodologies, and technical safeguards across industries. In total, five key standards were published this month, addressing everything from microplastic analysis in water to safety in advanced manufacturing environments, laser product regulations for consumer technologies, safety systems in high-energy fusion facilities, and the assessment of visual-manual and cognitive workload in road vehicles. This monthly overview aims to help professionals, managers, compliance officers, and researchers stay current, understand industry trajectories, and draw actionable insights from the most recent standardization activities.

Monthly Overview: September 2025

September 2025 brought a diversified focus within the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety standardization landscape. Noteworthy this month was the interplay between traditional occupational safety standards and those addressing risks stemming from emerging technologies or evolving societal concerns. The publications ranged from environmental monitoring—specifically the quantification and characterization of microplastics in drinking water—through to robust test methods for protective clothing, addressing hazards in metallurgical and heavy-industry settings.

A surge in standards for assessing and managing human-system interaction risks was also evident. New technical guidelines for evaluating cognitive and visual demands in in-vehicle systems for road safety, and advanced hazard analysis for consumer laser devices, came to the forefront. The publication of a comprehensive standard governing safety systems in magnetic fusion facilities with superconducting technologies highlighted the growing importance of risk management in next-generation energy infrastructures.

Compared to prior months, September's publications reflected a nuanced balance: foundational occupational health and safety, precise measurement and monitoring for complex pollutants, and pioneering frameworks for emerging risks in both established and novel technological domains.

These trends indicate that international standardization activities are increasingly aligning with societal expectations for safety, resilience, and environmental stewardship—while also recognizing and adapting to rapid industrial and technological change.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 16094-2:2025 – Analysis of Microplastics in Low-Solids Drinking Water

Water quality – Analysis of microplastic in water – Part 2: Vibrational spectroscopy methods for waters with low content of suspended solids including drinking water

ISO 16094-2:2025 establishes the principles, protocols, and analytical requirements for identifying and quantifying microplastics in drinking water and similar low-suspended solid matrices. The standard leverages vibrational spectroscopy (infrared and Raman micro-spectroscopy) coupled with microscopy, enabling the determination of microplastics in the 1 µm to 5,000 µm size range. Not only are particle counts and size distributions generated, but the chemical identity of polymers—including PE, PP, PET, PC, PS, PTFE, PVC, PA, PMMA, and PU—is rigorously determined.

Cognizant of the extremely low concentrations typical in these matrices, the standard prescribes stringent controls to prevent contamination throughout sample preparation and analysis. The methodology is applicable to ultra-pure water, intended potable water, and raw groundwater sources, provided the content of organic and suspended matter is suitably low (as per ISO 6107).

For utilities, water treatment operators, and environmental monitoring labs, implementation of ISO 16094-2:2025 ensures comparability, reliability, and transparency in microplastic detection—an essential step for public confidence and regulatory compliance in the face of mounting concern over microplastic pollution.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive protocol for microplastics measurement (1–5,000 µm)
• Chemical identification of prevalent environmental and industrial polymers
• Strict laboratory contamination controls and robust analytical blank handling

Access the full standard:View ISO 16094-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 9185:2025 – Resistance of Protective Clothing Materials to Molten Metal Splash

Protective clothing – Assessment of resistance of materials to molten metal splash

ISO 9185:2025 specifies the laboratory methods to evaluate protective clothing materials’ resistance to heat penetration and damage from splashes of molten metals (aluminum, cryolite, copper, iron, and mild steel). The newly revised third edition introduces improved criteria for assessing thermal damage on PVC sensor films, the use of metal supports for most metals, and a performance level-based testing procedure—heightening reproducibility and user relevance.

The test involves direct pouring of controlled masses of molten metal onto angled fabric specimens, behind which an embossed PVC sensor film detects thermal failure. Minimal mass required to cause specified sensor film ‘damage’ (smoothing, melting, or pinholing) establishes the fabric’s splash resistance.

This standard is essential for manufacturers and certifiers of personal protective equipment (PPE) in metallurgical industries, foundries, and industrial plants. It forms a linchpin in regulatory frameworks ensuring worker protection, and enables procurement teams to make evidence-based decisions about safety gear.

Key highlights:

• Expanded procedures for multiple metals (Al, Cu, Fe, etc.) and cryolite
• New batch PVC sensor film adoption and improved assessment repeatability
• Iterative and performance-based testing approaches introduced

Access the full standard:View ISO 9185:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC TS 60825-20:2025 – Safety Requirements for Laser Products Exposing Face or Eyes

Safety of laser products – Part 20: Safety requirements for products intentionally exposing face or eyes to laser radiation

IEC TS 60825-20:2025 delivers an in-depth, safety-focused approach for consumer and professional products designed to direct Class 1 laser radiation at human faces or eyes—covering applications like facial/ocular recognition, VR headsets, gesture tracking, and driver surveillance systems (but excluding specialized medical, automotive lidar, and certain industrial applications).

The technical specification goes beyond nominal emission safety, emphasizing safety measures against single-point failures, risk analysis using a tailored Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and production line testing. Users are required to perform a comprehensive hazard analysis, implement risk mitigations for plausible fault conditions (such as optic failure, software malfunctions, or hardware faults), and document their processes under a modified FMEA regime.

This standard is highly relevant for designers, engineers, safety assessors, and compliance officers involved in the development and certification of consumer electronics, wearables, and safety-critical surveillance devices where laser exposure to the face or eyes is intentional.

Key highlights:

• Normative requirements for fault-tolerant safety in Class 1 laser products
• Mandatory risk analysis procedures with FMEA focus
• Tailored exclusion of specific professional and medical applications

Access the full standard:View IEC TS 60825-20:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 18518:2025 – Safety Systems in Magnetic Fusion Facilities Using Superconducting Technology

Magnetic fusion facilities – Requirements for the safety systems raised by the application of the superconducting technology

ISO 18518:2025 addresses the critical safety systems and design requirements uniquely associated with the use of superconducting magnets in modern fusion facilities (such as ITER, DEMO, and advanced tokamaks and stellarators). This standard outlines how confinement, shielding, and supporting systems must be designed to handle both routine and abnormal scenarios—including quenching, cryostat integrity breaches, helium leaks, and Paschen breakdown phenomena.

Applicability extends across plasma configurations, with requirements rooted in the matured tokamak framework but remaining broad for adaptation to future fusion device architectures. The standard guides the safe integration of confined high-energy fields within nuclear-fusion environments, underscoring ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principles for radiation exposure, facility maintenance, and minimization of waste activation.

For engineers, safety managers, and regulatory authorities engaged with fusion R&D or power reactors, ISO 18518:2025 provides a foundational basis for risk assessments, system design, and safety case submissions.

Key highlights:

• Detailed safety requirements for superconducting magnet systems
• Coverage of critical scenarios: quench response, cryostat breaches, helium management
• Guidance for both operational safety and post-incident mitigation

Access the full standard:View ISO 18518:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 8202:2025 – Measuring Visual-Manual and Cognitive Demand in Road Vehicles

Road vehicles – Box task and detection response task to measure visual-manual and cognitive demand

ISO 8202:2025 introduces a dual-task methodology for researching and quantifying the effects of secondary tasks (e.g., using in-vehicle information systems or smartphones) on driver performance. Through the Box Task (BT, a dynamic tracking paradigm) and Detection Response Task (DRT, assessing reaction times to stimuli), the standard provides experimentally validated protocols—enabling comparative assessment of visual-manual and cognitive demand across different systems and tasks.

The core value lies in its standardization of equipment, procedure, metrics, and reporting, enabling automotive manufacturers, HMI (Human-Machine Interface) developers, and safety regulators to benchmark interface designs in laboratory settings before deployment.

This standard is most pertinent to OEMs, after-market device manufacturers, research organizations, and those responsible for approval of in-vehicle systems. Adherence supports improved driver safety outcomes during the rise of complex, multimodal in-vehicle interfaces.

Key highlights:

• Dual-task approach for simultaneous measurement of visual-manual and cognitive load
• Standardized evaluation protocol, metrics, and reporting for IVIS
• Applicable to both OEM and after-market in-vehicle systems in research and pre-deployment contexts

Access the full standard:View ISO 8202:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Analysis of September 2025’s publications reveals several shared themes and emerging directions across the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety domain:

• Cross-Sectoral Safety Focus: There is a convergence of safety measures between traditional industrial environments (molten metal, PPE standards) and technologically advanced domains (laser devices, fusion energy, automotive HMI evaluation).
• Emphasis on Human Factors: Both ISO 8202:2025 and IEC TS 60825-20:2025 highlight significant movement toward incorporating human-system interaction risks—whether cognitive distractions in vehicles or direct laser exposure in consumer products.
• Environmental and Public Health Prioritization: The adoption of standardized analytical methods for microplastics in water echoes societal urgency about environmental pollutant monitoring and risk transparency.
• Integration of Risk Management Frameworks: Several of this month’s standards (notably IEC TS 60825-20:2025 and ISO 18518:2025) mandate systematic risk analysis and management protocols—underscoring the move toward proactive, fault-tolerant, and resilient design approaches.

Industries most impacted this month include water utilities, environmental labs, metallurgical manufacturing, high-tech consumer electronics, energy research and deployment, and automotive manufacturers—signaling a holistic, system-wide approach to safety and human well-being.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations potentially impacted by this month’s standards, the following practical steps and recommendations are pertinent:

1. Gap Analysis and Risk Assessment: Begin with a systematic review of current practices, procedures, and compliance documentation against the new/revised requirements. For example, fusion facilities should re-examine their superconducting magnet safety provisions, while consumer electronics firms must review FMEA protocols for face/eye-directed laser products.
2. Prioritization Based on Exposure and Risk: Water utilities must assess monitoring gaps in their microplastic analysis programs, prioritizing drinking water and groundwaters; manufacturers of PPE should evaluate supplier credentials and fabric testing compliance in light of updated ISO 9185:2025 methodologies.
3. Training and Awareness: Engineering, laboratory, and safety personnel, as well as procurement teams, should receive targeted training on new test methods, measurement criteria, and compliance procedures.
4. Timeline and Documentation: For most standards, implementation is expected upon entry into force, but timelines may be governed by contractual, regulatory, or certification cycles. Early adoption is recommended for product development processes with long lead times (e.g., automotive interfaces or scientific equipment).
5. Resource Access: Leverage platforms like iTeh Standards for document access, cross-referencing, and ongoing updates. Integration of standards into electronic quality, risk, and environmental management systems is advisable.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from September 2025

September 2025 marked significant progress in standardizing procedures for environmental analysis, occupational and product safety, and human factors evaluation. The breadth of publications underscores the increasing complexity—and integration—of risk management, technological advancement, and human impact assessment in the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety field.

Professionals are encouraged to review and implement the most relevant standards to their operations, whether in laboratory analysis, manufacturing process controls, R&D, or regulatory compliance. Staying current with such standards not only mitigates operational and safety risks but also enhances competitive positioning and public trust.

Explore each standard further via iTeh Standards to ensure your organization is aligned with the evolving frameworks that define best practices in environmental health, workplace safety, and human-technology interaction.