NIOSH Extends Comment Period on PPE Use for Underserved User Populations

NIOSH has extended until Oct. 15 the public comment period regarding its request for information (RFI) on needs and challenges related to the use of personal protective equipment among U.S. worker populations who are underserved when it comes to PPE use, availability, accessibility, acceptability, or knowledge. This effort was first announced in a Federal Register notice published on June 24, which explained that NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory will expand its portfolio to include activities that consider the needs of these PPE user populations, which include groups such as workers who are of an atypical size; who are members of a gender, racial, ethnic, or linguistic minority group; who conduct non-traditional activities; or who are members of sub-disciplines that are not the primary focus of the current PPE activities within their field.

NIOSH encourages feedback from individuals and organizations with direct knowledge about research, service, or policy gaps affecting these worker populations as well as from those who advocate for these groups. The agency also hopes that workers who have experienced issues related to PPE use will share their insights.

AIHA submitted comments in response to NIOSH’s RFI on July 16 (PDF). Additional feedback submitted on Aug. 16 (PDF) by AIHA’s Women in IH Committee builds on the association’s earlier comments.

For more information on providing comments to NIOSH on this topic, see the original notice and the extension in the Federal Register.