Monthly Roundup: Environment Standards from October 2025

Looking back at October 2025, the Environment sector experienced a pivotal month in standards development, with five notable publications released across a range of focus areas. These standards collectively addressed machine safety, physical working conditions, protective clothing, and the nuanced safety demands for consumer products such as electric toys. For quality professionals, safety managers, engineers, and researchers, understanding the context and specifics of these standards is crucial for not only maintaining compliance but also advancing workplace safety culture and public health protection.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

October 2025 represented an active and influential period for standardization in the Environment sector. The five standards published this month revealed a blend of continuity and innovation. While some standards revised long-standing frameworks in machinery and product safety, others introduced new requirements in areas marked by evolving risks—such as ergonomics and weather protection for workers. The revisited scope of electric toy safety reinforced international harmonization, while the ergonomic measurement standard advanced the precision of occupational environment assessments.

Notably, this month’s standards placed a premium on detailed hazard analysis (particularly in machinery), quantified protective performance (in materials and garments), and comprehensive test methodologies. Compared to previous months, October 2025 saw an increased emphasis on lifecycle safety—addressing risks not just during operation but during assembly, transport, and decommissioning as well. The sector’s attention to both end-user and worker safety signals a holistic approach to health protection, keeping pace with technological advances and societal expectations.

Standards Published This Month

EN ISO 19085-13:2025 – Woodworking Machines – Safety (Multi-blade Rip Saws)

Woodworking machines - Safety - Part 13: Multi-blade rip sawing machines with manual loading and/or unloading (ISO 19085-13:2025)

Published on October 22, 2025, this standard specifies rigorous safety requirements and protective measures for multi-blade rip sawing machines designed for cutting solid wood and similar materials. Targeting machines with manual loading/unloading (either or both) and intended for continuous production use, the standard outlines comprehensive controls spanning the machine’s entire lifecycle—including operation, maintenance, transport, and disposal.

The document systematically addresses all significant hazards and hazardous situations relevant to these machines, aligning requirements with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and related EFTA regulations. It excludes machines designed for explosive atmospheres or those manufactured prior to this edition.

Key points include:

• Safety integration across controls, emergency systems, and ergonomics
• Mechanical safeguards: braking, ejection protection, stability, and guards
• Operator information: marking, instruction, and warning protocols
• Lifecycle risk management: from assembly to scrapping, capturing reasonably foreseeable misuse

Key highlights:

• Presumption of regulatory conformity with Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
• Detailed guidance on mechanical and control safety for lifecycle phases
• Specific annexes addressing harmonization and essential EU requirements

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 19085-13:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO 24232:2025 – Protective Clothing Against Rain

Protective clothing - Protection against rain (ISO 24232:2024)

This standard, released on October 22, 2025, defines requirements and test methods for protective garments intended to shield users from precipitation (i.e., rain, snowflakes), fog, and ground humidity. The focus is on ready-made garments and the performance of materials, explicitly excluding other effects (like water splashes and waves), as well as the performance of additional PPE (such as footwear and gloves).

EN ISO 24232:2025 highlights the importance of both waterproofness and breathability (water vapor resistance), directly impacting comfort and physiological strain. The standard provides methodologies for the assessment of tensile strength, tear and seam strength, bursting strength, dimensional stability, and the optional assessment of whole-garment waterproofness (rain tower test). It also emphasizes manufacturer instructions, marking, and care labeling to sustain protection effectiveness over repeated use.

Key highlights:

• Standardized test methods for water penetration and water vapor resistance
• Performance thresholds for tensile, tear, seam, and bursting strength
• Importance of post-cleaning performance and comfort through breathability

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 24232:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO 7726:2025 – Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment

Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Instruments for measuring and monitoring physical quantities (ISO 7726:2025)

Published on October 22, 2025, EN ISO 7726:2025 updates the reference for characterizing, measuring, and monitoring environmental physical quantities relevant to thermal ergonomics. Targeting manufacturers and users of measurement instruments—as well as those drafting workplace thermal environment contracts—this standard establishes minimum specifications for devices measuring air temperature, humidity, radiant temperature, velocity, and associated variables.

Special focus is placed on instrument accuracy and method standardization for environments ranging from hot to cold. Specifications extend to spatial and temporal variation requirements, measurement uncertainty, and data processing. The standard underpins compliance in sectors where thermal comfort or stress is a critical contributor to occupational health.

Key highlights:

• Prescribes essential instrument performance metrics (temperature, velocity, radiation, humidity)
• Standardized methods support compliance, contract development, and research
• Addresses all thermal environments with ergonomic consequences (hot, comfortable, or cold)

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 7726:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62115:2017 – Electric Toys – Safety (including 2025 amendment)

Electric toys – Safety

With a key update published on October 21, 2025, this consolidated edition of IEC 62115:2017 (including the 2025 amendment) further strengthens the safety requirements for electric toys intended for children under 14 years. The scope covers all toys with electrical functionality—ranging from constructional and experimental sets to functional electric toys and scale models. Safety considerations now explicitly address toys powered by various sources (batteries, solar, induction), as well as those incorporating optical radiation or wireless control.

Major technical changes introduced in this amendment include revised test conditions and criteria, enhanced warnings (notably for button batteries, ride-on toys, toys placed overhead, and those connected to other equipment), and new safety measures concerning accessible batteries, remote controls, and EMF exposure. The update also implements stricter oversight for optical radiation sources (LEDs) and battery compartments. The transition period for implementation is set for up to 36 months, allowing ample adaptation time for manufacturers and testing bodies.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive electrical safety coverage for all toy types (including toys with unconventional power sources)
• Newly updated requirements for batteries, warnings, radiation safety, and toy connectivity
• Extended implementation timeline to support industry compliance

Access the full standard:View IEC 62115:2017 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62115:2017 – Electric Toys – Safety (Duplicate Standard, Reference Reinforced)

Electric toys – Safety (Same as previous entry)

This is a repeat listing of the crucial IEC 62115:2017 standard with its 2025 update, highlighting its central role in international toy safety and underlining the presence of its most recent amendment. The content, implementation guidance, and industry implications remain as described above.

Access the full standard:View IEC 62115:2017 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

A clear thread through October 2025’s standards in the Environment category is a holistic, lifecycle-focused approach to hazard management and risk reduction. Several publications specifically target workplace environments and worker safety (machine operation, personal protective equipment, environmental ergonomics), while others reinforce consumer protection, particularly for vulnerable user groups like children.

• Machinery and Workplace Safety: New requirements for production equipment, especially in woodworking, demonstrate an insistence on both operator and bystander protection, acknowledging the broader context in which expert and non-expert users interact with machinery.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The continued evolution of rain-protective clothing standards highlights the interplay between physiological comfort and effective protection—an area becoming more prominent alongside climate adaptation and outdoor worker resilience.
• Measurement Precision: Emphasis on standardized measurement of environmental factors (thermal comfort, humidity, airspeed) reveals a trend toward data-driven workplace safety and compliance, supporting both continuous improvement and legal defensibility.
• Consumer Goods and Children’s Safety: The IEC 62115 update reflects enduring global concern over child safety, especially as toys become more technologically sophisticated. Areas such as battery safety, EMF exposure, and remote operations are now central considerations, echoing marketplace evolution.
• Regulatory Alignment: Most new standards map directly to essential European/International directives—helping organizations navigate complex, cross-border compliance landscapes with greater clarity.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations impacted by these standards, a proactive approach is recommended:

• Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers: Immediately begin risk assessments for product lines in light of EN ISO 19085-13:2025, ensuring that all new designs and instructions meet or exceed the required safeguards. Evaluate supply chain components for conformity declarations as per relevant EU directives.
• Occupational Safety and Facility Managers: Review existing PPE inventories and procurement procedures for rain protection to align with EN ISO 24232:2025. Update employee training to address care and maintenance as instructed by manufacturers.
• Industrial Hygienists and Ergonomists: Audit all thermal environment monitoring equipment for compliance with EN ISO 7726:2025, recalibrating or replacing devices as needed. Use the standard’s test methodologies to reassess workspace conditions and document improvements.
• Toy Manufacturers and Retailers: Analyze new product portfolios with the updated IEC 62115:2017 requirements, giving special attention to electrical safety, warning labels, battery accessibility, and EMF evaluation. Develop transition schedules to meet the new standard within the prescribed 12–36 month period, liaising with test laboratories for pre-compliance checks.

Getting started:

• Prioritize gap assessments in areas where updated standards apply
• Communicate with supply chain partners (manufacturers, suppliers, and testing labs)
• Leverage iTeh Standards’ repository to review full standard texts and supplementary resources
• Schedule employee training and revise policies as new compliance requirements become effective

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

October 2025’s suite of standards reflects an intensifying commitment to protecting both workers and consumers across the full range of risk exposures—mechanical, environmental, and ergonomic. Standout standards include EN ISO 19085-13:2025 for woodworking machinery, which deepens machine lifecycle safety; EN ISO 24232:2025, which moves PPE closer to real-world performance; EN ISO 7726:2025, which bolsters environmental monitoring; and an especially robust revision of IEC 62115 for electric toy safety.

Professionals in the Environment sector are advised to:

• Evaluate their compliance posture in light of these developments
• Integrate new assessment and risk management tools into safety programs
• Update procurement, operational, and product development frameworks
• Engage with the original standard documents, available through iTeh Standards, to ensure detailed understanding and robust implementation.

By staying current with these standards, organizations not only protect their workforce and products but also demonstrate leadership in anticipating and responding to dynamic regulatory and societal expectations. Explore each referenced standard in detail to optimize your compliance and safety strategies.