NIOSH Seeks Comment on Potential Modification of Standard for CBRN Air-Purifying Respirator
July 3, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comment from manufacturers and stakeholders to provide NIOSH with input on the potential modification of the NIOSH statement of standard for a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) full face piece air-purifying respirator (APR), which would permit an alternative to the single standard 40-millimeter (mm) screw mounted canister for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory(NPPTL) is seeking stakeholder input regarding a request from the DoD for a proposed modification to the CBRN APR statement of standard to allow for mechanical connectors other than the specified single 40-mm thread connector.
The DoD is seeking modification of the standard to allow DoD first responders to use a newly developed respirator, the Joint Service General Protective Mask (JSGPM), for respiratory protection on military installations in the U.S. or when called upon to support civil authorities.
The JSGPM uses a bayonet mounted, dual filter design instead of the single standard 40-mm screw mounted canister. The DoD's request is to supplement the existing NIOSH standard with an alternate design for DoD application.
Because of their experiences in responding to the terrorist events of 2001, emergency responders identified the need for the interoperability of canisters and face pieces as a respirator user issue that NIOSH needed to address.
During the evolution of the CBRN statement of standard, NIOSH identified a single mechanical connector design requirement to support interchangeability of CBRN certified canisters and masks.
The user community encouraged requiring interoperable capability at the three public meetings held that discussed the requirements for the CBRN APR and interoperability was strongly recommended in the 2002 Rand Report entitled Protecting Emergency Responders - Lessons Learned from Terrorist Attacks.
Through a collaborative approach with multiple partnerships, applicable military and industrial technologies were integrated by NIOSH in the CBRN APR standard to provide the full range of protection needed by emergency responders.
Working with the partnerships from federal government agencies, the private sector and user groups, NIOSH expedited development and publication of new testing and certification standards for voluntary use by emergency responders in CBRN terrorist attacks.
The DoD request is to supplement the existing NIOSH standard with an alternate permissible design for DoD applications.
DoD requirements for the JSGPM require availability of replacement filters in the mask carrier worn on the individual and field level logistic support for additional filters. Neither of these are requirements for commercial mask applications.
For the DoD user, the advantages of the bayonet attachment on the JSGPM do not compromise the interoperability considerations for emergency responders outside of the DoD.
DoD Instruction 6055.1 indicates that in nonmilitary unique workplaces where U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) standards or other federal safety standards apply but do not cover, or only partially cover, existing conditions, the DoD components shall use appropriate national safety and occupational health consensus standards under Public Law 104-113.
When there is no relevant OSHA or national consensus standard, the DoD components may develop other protective measures to ensure the safety and health of DoD personnel.
Also, the DoD components may prescribe more stringent exposure limits or monitoring frequencies than those in the basic OSHA standards.
Requesting NIOSH to include another mechanical connector design for DoD applications that may allow for NIOSH certification of the JSGPM meets this intent.
NIOSH/NPPTL is seeking input from stakeholders and manufacturers to determine the following:
- Opinions on the current design requirement for the single 40-mm thread canister mechanical connector.
- Rationale and data to maintain the current design requirement.
- Rationale and data to support adding an alternative design for DoD applications for canister mechanical connectors.
- Identification of alternative approaches to implement the alternative design concept for the canister mechanical connector.
- Other comments on the subject.
More information about the potential modification of the NIOSH statement of standard for a CBRN full face piece APR is available at the June 18, 2008 Federal Register notice at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-13721.htm.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).