NIOSH to Host Workshop on Equitable PPE Protections

An upcoming virtual workshop hosted by the NIOSH Personal Protective Technology Program will focus on issues regarding equitable personal protective equipment protections for workers in the United States. The workshop will take place over two days in November and feature sessions on equitable PPE use, availability, accessibility, acceptability, and knowledge among underserved PPE user groups. According to NIOSH, underserved PPE user groups may include workers who are of an atypical size; members of a gender, racial, ethnic, or linguistic minority group; or those who perform nontraditional worker activities. These user populations may also include members of subdisciplines that may not be the primary focus of current PPE activities within a larger field.

The workshop’s goals include sharing information to confirm and identify underserved PPE user groups and gaps or challenges related to equitable PPE protections across industry sectors. Policy, market dynamic, and research gaps will be a topic of facilitated discussion. NIOSH also plans to announce its commitment to a national strategy for equitable PPE protections for all U.S. workers and future partnership opportunities in this area.

NIOSH’s workshop will be held via Zoom on Nov. 8 and 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Individuals who are interested in attending can pre-register for each workshop day individually using the registration links on the workshop webpage.