Workshop to Address Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices

An upcoming virtual workshop sponsored by the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory will focus on issues related to the assessment of respiratory protective devices. Specifically, the workshop will address occupational and non-occupational use of respirators by non-traditional workers and the public, and respirator use outside of workplace respiratory protection programs. Anticipated topics of discussion include current respirator assessment and approval processes; gaps in respiratory protection for workers who have situation-specific needs such as outdoor workers and wildland firefighters; potential research avenues; and best practices for communicating respiratory protection guidance to different user groups. Occupational health and safety professionals, policymakers, manufacturers, and respirator users are invited to attend.

The workshop will take place over two days, Aug. 4–5, 2020. Individuals interested in attending the event can register online for free.

More information, including a meeting agenda (PDF), is available from the website of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.