Environment, Health Protection, and Safety Standards Summary - July 2025

Looking back at July 2025, the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety sector saw the publication of five significant standards that collectively shine a light on the sector’s progression this year. These standards ranged from advanced fire safety mechanisms to head protection for a variety of user groups, as well as environmental accountability in material emissions. For safety and compliance professionals, July’s portfolio under ICS Code 13 is essential reading, offering both practical requirements and strategic direction for organizations aiming to maintain robust risk management and regulatory alignment.

Monthly Overview: July 2025

July 2025 was marked by a diverse release of standards addressing both well-established and emerging needs within the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety field. The five standards published this month reflect an industry-wide emphasis on:

• More comprehensive fire risk management for both commercial and residential settings
• Advanced protective equipment for vulnerable populations—especially children
• Environmental stewardship in building materials and products
• Greater detail in test methodologies, performance verification, and product marking

The mix of international (ISO) and European (EN) standards also highlights the increasing interplay between global harmonization and region-specific requirements, underscoring the complexity that quality managers and safety professionals must now navigate. Compared with prior months, July’s standards display sharper attention to cross-domain risk—including the interface between user health, environment, and safety system reliability. Organizations faced new, clearer guidance that will shape inspection, procurement, and compliance efforts for years to come.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 6182-2:2025 - Fire Protection - Automatic Sprinkler Systems - Part 2: Requirements and Test Methods for Sprinkler System Alarm Valves, Check Valves, Water Motor Alarms, Retard Devices and Accelerators

Fire protection - Automatic sprinkler systems - Part 2: Requirements and test methods for sprinkler system alarm valves, check valves, water motor alarms, retard devices and accelerators

This ISO standard provides the core requirements and testing protocols for critical devices within automatic sprinkler systems, including wet and dry alarm valves, water motor alarms, retard devices, accelerators, deluge, preaction, and check valves. The document sets stringent performance criteria covering nominal sizes, operating pressures, component durability, mechanical and environmental resistance, leakage control, hydraulic friction loss, and ease of maintenance. Highly detailed test methodologies substantiate compliance beyond routine inspection—promoting greater product reliability and life safety.

The standard’s target audience includes:

• Manufacturers of fire protection valves and components
• Building owners, property managers, and facilities engineers
• Fire safety inspectors and regulatory authorities

By aligning these devices with harmonized requirements (excluding trim, pressure reducing, and pump relief valves covered elsewhere), this edition aids not only consistency in system design but also easier procurement and maintenance cycles. The 2025 update replaced multiple earlier versions, helping organizations unify their compliance strategies across product lifecycles and international operations.

Key highlights:

• Unified performance and test requirements for multiple valve types
• Extended endurance, corrosion, and hydraulic performance testing
• Enhanced marking, maintenance, and installation instruction protocols

Access the full standard:View ISO 6182-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

FprEN 1078 - Helmets for Cyclists

Helmets for cyclists

This European draft standard sets out construction, performance, and information requirements for helmets designed for cyclists and users of similar personal transport equipment, such as skateboards, roller skates, and kick scooters. The new edition introduces more advanced protective criteria, including rotational shock absorption and chin guard impact evaluation, reflecting recent accident data and injury research. Tests cover not only direct and oblique impacts but also durability, strap retention, field of vision, and product Innocuousness.

Manufacturers, sports organizations, retailers, and regulatory enforcement agencies are all stakeholders, as this standard is core to both CE marking and proven end-user safety. Written under the umbrella of EU Regulation (EU) 2016/425 for personal protective equipment, it ensures manufacturers have robust guidance for compliance, while users can rely on scientifically validated protection.

Key highlights:

• Emphasis on rotational impact testing and head injury criteria
• Updated test velocities simulating real-world accidents
• Extended requirements for product marking and user information

Access the full standard:View FprEN 1078 on iTeh Standards

FprEN 1080 - Impact Protection Helmets for Young Children

Impact protection helmets for young children

Designed for the youngest users (typically those engaged in cycling, skating, kick scootering, or sledging), FprEN 1080 addresses the unique risks posed by child behavior and play, including the hazard of strangulation from chin straps. The standard incorporates novel requirements for a self-release mechanism—activating under specific loads—to reduce risk of accidental hanging during unsupervised play. Impact absorption, retention system durability, vision field limits, and comprehensive marking/information requirements are all included.

Child safety equipment manufacturers, retailers, compliance specialists, and consumer safety authorities will find this standard critical, as it aligns design and risk management with the latest incident analyses and regulatory instructions. It also builds a technical distinction between children’s helmets and those for the general population, ensuring the right product is used for the right purpose.

Key highlights:

• Mandatory self-release retention system for chin straps to mitigate strangulation risk
• Specified rotational and linear impact absorption performance
• Clear marking and parental guidance information

Access the full standard:View FprEN 1080 on iTeh Standards

EN 14972-17:2025 - Fixed Firefighting Systems - Water Mist Systems - Part 17: Test Protocol for Residential Occupancies for Automatic Nozzle Systems

Fixed firefighting systems - Water mist systems - Part 17: Test protocol for residential occupancies for automatic nozzle systems

This new European standard details fire testing protocols for water mist systems used to protect domestic and residential environments—such as apartments, care homes, and small hotels—up to 5.5 meters ceiling height. Test regimes are defined for both ceiling- and sidewall-mounted nozzles, with a range of scenarios (corner, beneath nozzle, between nozzles, ventilation effects, open space, etc.) reflecting diverse real-world fire dynamics. The standard prescribes fuel packages, ignition techniques, nozzle operational requirements, and pass/fail criteria in clinical detail, forming a benchmark for certification, approval, and installation.

Installers, system designers, manufacturers, fire consultants, and approval bodies are direct beneficiaries, as this protocol supports product development, conformity assessment, and municipal enforcement. The alignment with EN 14972-1 for system installation, inspection, and maintenance ensures a lifecycle approach to system safety.

Key highlights:

• Rigorous residential-use fire testing methods for water mist systems
• Distinct requirements for ceiling and sidewall nozzle placements
• Harmonization with broader EN 14972 series and local annexes where relevant

Access the full standard:View EN 14972-17:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 15119-1:2025 - Biological Durability of Wood and Wood-Based Products - Part 1: Determination of Emissions from Preservative Treated Wood to the Environment - Laboratory Method

Biological durability of wood and wood-based products - Determination of emissions from preservative treated wood to the environment - Part 1: Wood held in the storage yard after treatment and wooden commodities exposed in Use Class 3 (not covered, not in contact with the ground) - Laboratory method

This standard provides a consistent laboratory protocol for evaluating emissions (mainly via water leachate) from preservative-treated wood that is stored or used above ground, but not covered and not in direct contact with soil. This method supports environmental risk assessment by determining how much preservative may leach from wood during simulated weather exposure, ultimately informing regulatory decisions and user safety guidance. The test regime simulates rainfall events and intermittent drying, producing data for flux estimation over exposure periods (e.g., one year, ten years).

Relevant for wood product manufacturers, preservation chemical suppliers, environmental protection agencies, and researchers, EN 15119-1:2025 moves from technical specification to full standard, reflecting maturing laboratory practices and regulatory demand for accurate environmental emissions data.

Key highlights:

• Replaces previous technical specification with an established laboratory standard
• Simulates real-use moisture and rainfall cycles to estimate environmental emissions
• Supports regulatory compliance, product stewardship, and risk communication

Access the full standard:View EN 15119-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

A close analysis of July’s standards uncovers several converging industry themes:

• Integrated Risk Management: Both fire protection and personal protective equipment standards reflect demands for holistic risk reduction. Mist system protocols and advanced helmet requirements indicate a move toward outcomes-based, data-driven safety engineering.
• User-Centric and Vulnerable Population Focus: Dedicated standards for children’s head protection and for residential fire scenarios point to heightened awareness of user context, behavior, and special risks.
• Environmental Accountability: The new wood emission standard aligns with broader regulatory and public expectations for transparency and environmental risk quantification in product lifecycle assessment.
• Test Rigor and Scientific Advancement: Updates across fire and head protection standards are based on expanded impact scenarios, real-world injury data, new pass/fail criteria, and advanced laboratory methodologies. This shift demands greater technical capacity from both manufacturers and labs.
• International and European Harmonization: More cross-references and aligned terminology facilitate smoother multi-market compliance and procurement.

Industries seeing the biggest impact include construction, residential facility management, wood products, sports and recreation, fire safety engineering, and environmental services.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations operating in or supplying to sectors affected by these standards, the following considerations apply:

• Early Gap Assessment: Review current product lines, inspection practices, and procurement documents versus the new requirements—focus on any critical changes (e.g., self-release helmet straps, new fire test conditions, emissions tracking).
• Supplier Coordination: Update technical specifications and purchasing contracts to reference July 2025 editions, ensuring alignment across the supply chain.
• Product Certification and Marking: For regulated products (PPE, fire protection systems), verify that certification bodies and notified bodies are equipped to test and approve against updated standards.
• Documentation and Training: Update installation guides, maintenance protocols, user manuals, and training materials, prioritizing new test protocols, maintenance intervals, or parental guidance content as specified.
• Timeline for Transition: Track national or EU-level mandatory adoption dates, especially for European Norms (ENs). Where legacy approvals exist, determine permissible grandfathering periods.
• Access to Resources: Professionals should leverage sources such as iTeh Standards for full-text downloads, updates, and comparison tools to facilitate smooth compliance.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from July 2025

The set of Environment, Health Protection, and Safety standards published in July 2025 mark a robust addition to the sector’s regulatory spine. Most notably:

• Fire protection standards (ISO 6182-2:2025, EN 14972-17:2025) reinforced the trend towards rigorous device selection, testing, and holistic system performance—across both commercial and residential scenarios.
• Personal protective equipment standards (FprEN 1078 and FprEN 1080) reflected not only evolving injury profiles but also societal attention to child safety and behavior-driven design.
• Environmental accountability saw a leap forward with the full standardization of emission assessment from preservative-treated wood, positioning the industry for a future of measurable, reportable environmental compliance (EN 15119-1:2025).

For safety managers, compliance officers, and procurement specialists, the lesson is clear: staying abreast of and implementing these new standards is pivotal to ensuring current best practices and mitigating legal or operational risks. Explore the detailed requirements, compare them to your on-the-ground practices, and prioritize transitions that deliver the most value in risk and environmental performance.

To delve deeper into the technical content or obtain full standard texts, access the direct iTeh Standards links provided above. Staying current with July 2025’s new publications is not only a regulatory imperative—it is a foundation for sustained operational excellence and future-ready safety and environmental performance.