NIOSH Laboratory Expansion to Support Research, Development of New PPE Technologies

An upcoming renovation and expansion of NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will support NPPTL’s Human Performance and Physiology Research Branch, its respirator certification program, and the research and development of new personal protective equipment (PPE) technologies. CDC announced the plans on March 29 in a press release that explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest $14 million for the expansion. The agency intends to begin developing design plans for the renovation this fall and to begin construction in summer 2022. CDC anticipates occupancy of the new lab space will begin in fall 2023.

“These upgrades will advance NIOSH’s research capabilities, facilitate innovation, and enhance our certification program,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, MD. “This is an important step forward in improving the safety of healthcare workers, first responders, and all workers who rely on these technologies to remain safe and healthy while on the job.”

Further details are available from a news article published recently in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.