Notices About NIOSH Respirator Approvals Outline Changes Due to Acquisitions

NIOSH recently shared two announcements with respirator users regarding how approvals issued by the agency will be handled following some company acquisitions. One has to do with Walter Surface Technologies, which acquired the company ArcOne in February 2020 and Allegro Industries in January 2022. The other announcement is from the company GVS, which acquired RPB Safety LLC in September 2021. 

The notice from Walter Surface Technologies (PDF), published in April, explains that Walter intends to transfer ArcOne’s active NIOSH respirator approvals to Allegro Industries this year.

“During and post transition, the ArcOne approvals will remain valid, and the products approved to be used,” a senior product manager from Walter Surface Technologies writes in the notification. “This will be reflected in the NIOSH Certified Equipment List.”

A separate letter (PDF) states that GVS intends to change its name from “GVS Filter Technology UK Ltd” to “GVS Safety.” The company name will also be updated in NIOSH’s Certified Equipment List. Respirator approvals issued by NIOSH to RPB Safety will be transferred to GVS Safety. As with Walter Surface Technologies’ changes, approvals issued to RPB Safety “will remain valid and the products approved to be used,” the notice says.

A page on the NIOSH website collects user notices issued by approval holders and industry partners. Respirator users can confirm that a device or component is valid through the NIOSH Certified Equipment List.