Recent NIOSH Notices Address Respirator Approvals, Safety

Two announcements regarding respirator approvals and safety were recently added to the website of the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). The notices have to do with certain NIOSH respirator approvals and a voluntary stoppage of sale of some NIOSH-approved respirators.

NIOSH announced that it has honored the request of Honeywell International Inc. to voluntarily rescind 48 respirator approvals issued to the company. As of Nov. 29, respirators bearing the approval numbers listed in the agency’s notice are no longer NIOSH approved and may no longer be used, manufactured, assembled, sold, or distributed. The agency directs individuals to contact Honeywell International regarding inquiries about the decision to voluntarily rescind these approvals.

A voluntary stoppage of sale for all NIOSH-approved respirators from the company Masprot went into effect on Nov. 17. According to a communication (PDF) issued by Masprot, NIOSH recently identified inconsistencies in some of its control processes and documents. The stoppage of sale will continue while NIOSH evaluates the company’s research and proposed action plans, Masprot says.

These and other recent respirator-related notices can be found on the NPPTL website.