Source: cdc.gov
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed a PPE-Info Database that serves as a compendium of Federal regulations and consensus standards. The purpose of the database is to provide standards developers, manufacturers, purchasers, and end users of PPE with a comprehensive tool which allows general or advanced criteria searches of relevant federal standards, associated product types, target occupational groups, basic conformity assessment specifications, and accredited lab information.
Standards information was compiled from the U.S. Government, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standard development organizations (SDOs), and International Organization for Standardization (ISO), when applicable nationally. Please note that there are 28 OSHA-approved occupational safety and health State Plans. State Plans are required to have standards and enforcement programs that are at least as effective as federal OSHA’s and may have different or more stringent standards related to PPE.
The future direction and functionality of the PPE-Info Database depends on its users. Below are a few concepts that stakeholders have generated, and NIOSH welcomes new ideas as the database grows.
- Refining the application with assistance from stakeholders in the PPE community.
- Completing/updating data by forming partnerships with Standards Development Organizations and work to increase automation of standard revisions.
- Analyzing data using Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code descriptors.
- Developing information about PPE products that claim to comply with the regulations and standards in this database (both 3rd party certifications and 1st party declaration of conformance).
- Compiling information regarding conformity assessment activities (e.g. certification, testing, inspection, quality management) for PPE.
- Provide PPE selection guidance for healthcare workers during a microbial exposure (e.g., Ebola).
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Great idea to put the welter of information in one location. Please include a “Risk Assessment” as part of a generic PPE selection process. Be sure to include firefighter PPE since the recent NFPA standards REQUIRE a risk assessment as part of the selection of PPE.