Committee on Personal Protective Equipment Seeks Expert Volunteers

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine seek nominations for expert volunteers to be considered for six vacant seats on the Standing Committee on Personal Protective Equipment for Workplace Safety and Health. The committee will comprise 18 volunteer expert members. National Academies staff are looking for potential volunteers with expertise in engineering and PPE design, PPE standards and evaluation, textiles and materials science, aerosol science, occupational safety and health or occupational medicine, infection control and prevention, and emergency preparedness and response. The staff encourages the nomination of candidates who reflect the populations they serve, including nominees from underrepresented racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identity groups, disabled people, and early- and mid-career professionals. Individuals must submit nominations for themselves or others by midnight on Nov. 27, through the National Academies’ online survey.

The committee, which is sponsored by NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), enables discussion of scientific and technical issues related to the development, certification, deployment, and use of PPE, standards, and related systems. Committee members meet with NPPTL multiple times per year to be informed about the state of personal protective technology; define prospective actions, such as studies or analyses; and provide liaison with ad-hoc committees requested by NIOSH. More information on the committee’s activities and its current members may be found on the National Academies’ website.