Download or read book Integration of FDA and NIOSH Processes Used to Evaluate Respiratory Protective Devices for Health Care Workers written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-04-06 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have responsibilities for evaluating and regulating respiratory protective devices ("respirators") for health care workers. Respirators protect the user from respiratory hazards by either removing contaminants from the air (air-purifying respirators) or by supplying clean air from another source (air-supplying respirators). Respirators that are used in workplaces in the United States must be approved by NIOSH and meet standards and test results specified by regulation. Respirators used by health care workers are air-purifying respirators that generally fall into three types: (1) disposable particulate filtering facepiece respirators (also termed N95s); (2) elastomeric respirators, also known as reusable respirators because they use a replaceable filter; or (3) powered air-purifying air respirators. To provide input to NIOSH and FDA and to discuss potential next steps to integrate the two agencies' processes to certify and approve N95 respirators for use in health care settings, a workshop was held by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in August 2016. The workshop was focused on exploring the strengths and limitations of several current test methods for N95 respirators as well as identifying ongoing research and research needs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
Download or read book Integration of FDA and NIOSH Processes Used to Evaluate Respiratory Protective Devices for Health Care Workers written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-03-06 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have responsibilities for evaluating and regulating respiratory protective devices ("respirators") for health care workers. Respirators protect the user from respiratory hazards by either removing contaminants from the air (air-purifying respirators) or by supplying clean air from another source (air-supplying respirators). Respirators that are used in workplaces in the United States must be approved by NIOSH and meet standards and test results specified by regulation. Respirators used by health care workers are air-purifying respirators that generally fall into three types: (1) disposable particulate filtering facepiece respirators (also termed N95s); (2) elastomeric respirators, also known as reusable respirators because they use a replaceable filter; or (3) powered air-purifying air respirators. To provide input to NIOSH and FDA and to discuss potential next steps to integrate the two agencies' processes to certify and approve N95 respirators for use in health care settings, a workshop was held by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in August 2016. The workshop was focused on exploring the strengths and limitations of several current test methods for N95 respirators as well as identifying ongoing research and research needs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
Download or read book Reusable Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-04-15 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Protecting the health and safety of health care workers is vital to the health of each of us. Preparing for and responding to a future influenza pandemic or to a sustained outbreak of an airborne transmissible disease requires a high-level commitment to respiratory protection for health care workers across the wide range of settings in which they work and the jobs that they perform. Keeping health care workers healthy is an ethical commitment both in terms of addressing the occupational risks faced by health care workers and of providing for the continuity of patient care and services needed to maintain the health of individuals and communities. During a public health emergency, challenges will arise concerning the availability of respiratory protective devices (i.e., respirators). Reusable respirators (specifically, reusable half-facepiece elastomeric respirators) are the standard respiratory protection device used in many industries, and they provide an option for use in health care that has to date not been fully explored. The durability and reusability of elastomeric respirators make them desirable for stockpiling for emergencies, where the need for large volumes of respirators can be anticipated. However, they are used infrequently in health care. Reusable Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care explores the potential for the use of elastomeric respirators in the U.S. health care system with a focus on the economic, policy, and implementation challenges and opportunities. This report examines the practicability of elastomeric use in health care on a routine basis and during an influenza pandemic or other large aerosol-transmissible outbreak, when demand for respiratory protective devices by U.S. health care personnel may be larger than domestic supplies. The report also addresses the issues regarding emergency stockpile management of elastomeric respiratory protective devices.
Download or read book Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-12-28 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During an influenza pandemic, healthcare workers will be on the front lines delivering care to patients and preventing further spread of the disease. As the nation prepares for pandemic influenza, multiple avenues for protecting the health of the public are being carefully considered, ranging from rapid development of appropriate vaccines to quarantine plans should the need arise for their implementation. One vital aspect of pandemic influenza planning is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)-the respirators, gowns, gloves, face shields, eye protection, and other equipment that will be used by healthcare workers and others in their day-to-day patient care responsibilities. However, efforts to appropriately protect healthcare workers from illness or from infecting their families and their patients are greatly hindered by the paucity of data on the transmission of influenza and the challenges associated with training and equipping healthcare workers with effective personal protective equipment. Due to this lack of knowledge on influenza transmission, it is not possible at the present time to definitively inform healthcare workers about what PPE is critical and what level of protection this equipment will provide in a pandemic. The outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 have underscored the importance of protecting healthcare workers from infectious agents. The surge capacity that will be required to reduce mortality from a pandemic cannot be met if healthcare workers are themselves ill or are absent due to concerns about PPE efficacy. The IOM committee determined that there is an urgent need to address the lack of preparedness regarding effective PPE for use in an influenza pandemic. Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic : Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers identifies that require expeditious research and policy action: (1) Influenza transmission research should become an immediate and short-term research priority so that effective prevention and control strategies can be developed and refined. The current paucity of knowledge significantly hinders prevention efforts. (2) Employer and employee commitment to worker safety and appropriate use of PPE should be strengthened. Healthcare facilities should establish and promote a culture of safety. (3) An integrated effort is needed to understand the PPE requirements of the worker and to develop and utilize innovative materials and technologies to create the next generation of PPE capable of meeting these needs.
Download or read book Reusability of Facemasks During an Influenza Pandemic written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2006-08-24 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Any strategy to cope with an influenza pandemic must be based on the knowledge and tools that are available at the time an epidemic may occur. In the near term, when we lack an adequate supply of vaccine and antiviral medication, strategies that rely on social distancing and physical barriers will be relatively more prominent as means to prevent spread of disease. The use of respirators and facemasks is one key part of a larger strategy to establish barriers and increase distance between infected and uninfected individuals. Respirators and facemasks may have a role in both clinical care and community settings. Reusability of Facemasks During an Influenza Pandemic: Facing the Flu answers a specific question about the role of respirators and facemasks to reduce the spread of flu: Can respirators and facemasks that are designed to be disposable be reused safely and effectively? The committee-assisted by outstanding staff-worked intensively to review the pertinent literature; consult with manufacturers, researchers, and medical specialists; and apply their expert judgment. This report offers findings and recommendations based on the evidence, pointing to actions that are appropriate now and to lines of research that can better inform future decisions.
Download or read book Frameworks for Protecting Workers and the Public from Inhalation Hazards written by National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2022-11-10 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Individuals in the United States and Americans abroad are exposed to inhalation hazards from a variety of sources, and these hazards can have both short- and long-term adverse effects on health. For example, exposure to wildfire smoke, which contains particulate matter and toxic chemicals, can lead to respiratory problems, increased risk for heart attacks, and other adverse health outcomes. Individuals also may be exposed to airborne infectious agents through aerosol or droplet transmission, and as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the individual and public health consequences of these exposures can be severe. Storms, floods, and hurricanes can increase exposure to moisture-driven hazards, such as mold, and to accidental releases from production facilities or transport vehicles that may result in chemical exposures. The current regulatory system is focused primarily on ensuring access to respiratory protection in occupational settings characterized by well-defined hazards and employer-employee relationships. With this narrow regulatory focus, the respiratory protection needs of the public and many workers are not being met. As climate change increases the incidence and severity of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, and other phenomena that impact air quality and human health, it is imperative that the United States ensure that the respiratory protection needs of the public and all workers are met. Recognizing the urgent need to address the gaps in the nation's ability to meet the respiratory protection needs of the public and workers without workplace respiratory protection programs, this report makes recommendations for a framework of responsibilities and authorities that would provide a unified and authoritative source of information and effective oversight for the development, approval, and use of respiratory protection.
Download or read book Reusable Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-03-15 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Protecting the health and safety of health care workers is vital to the health of each of us. Preparing for and responding to a future influenza pandemic or to a sustained outbreak of an airborne transmissible disease requires a high-level commitment to respiratory protection for health care workers across the wide range of settings in which they work and the jobs that they perform. Keeping health care workers healthy is an ethical commitment both in terms of addressing the occupational risks faced by health care workers and of providing for the continuity of patient care and services needed to maintain the health of individuals and communities. During a public health emergency, challenges will arise concerning the availability of respiratory protective devices (i.e., respirators). Reusable respirators (specifically, reusable half-facepiece elastomeric respirators) are the standard respiratory protection device used in many industries, and they provide an option for use in health care that has to date not been fully explored. The durability and reusability of elastomeric respirators make them desirable for stockpiling for emergencies, where the need for large volumes of respirators can be anticipated. However, they are used infrequently in health care. Reusable Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care explores the potential for the use of elastomeric respirators in the U.S. health care system with a focus on the economic, policy, and implementation challenges and opportunities. This report examines the practicability of elastomeric use in health care on a routine basis and during an influenza pandemic or other large aerosol-transmissible outbreak, when demand for respiratory protective devices by U.S. health care personnel may be larger than domestic supplies. The report also addresses the issues regarding emergency stockpile management of elastomeric respiratory protective devices.
Download or read book Current Issues in the Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices for Occupational and Non Occupational Uses written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2021-01-13 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To address approaches to the respirator approval process in the current landscape for both occupational and non-occupational use of respirators, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Standing Committee on Personal Protective Equipment for Workplace Safety and Health convened a virtual workshop, Current Issues in the Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices: Nontraditional Workers and Public Use on August 4â€"5, 2020. Additionally, the workshop considered gaps in respiratory protection for outdoor workers and the general public. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
Download or read book Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-10-23 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than 3.7 million U.S. service members have participated in operations taking place in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations since 1990. These operations include the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War, a post-war stabilization period spanning 1992 through September 2001, and the campaigns undertaken in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Deployment to Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan exposed service members to a number of airborne hazards, including oil-well fire smoke, emissions from open burn pits, dust and sand suspended in the air, and exhaust from diesel vehicles. The effects of these were compounded by stressors like excessive heat and noise that are inevitable attributes of service in a combat environment. Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations reviews the scientific evidence regarding respiratory health outcomes in veterans of the Southwest Asia conflicts and identifies research that could feasibly be conducted to address outstanding questions and generate answers, newly emerging technologies that could aid in these efforts, and organizations that the Veterans Administration might partner with to accomplish this work.
Download or read book Current Issues in the Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices for Occupational and Non Occupational Uses written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2021-02-13 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To address approaches to the respirator approval process in the current landscape for both occupational and non-occupational use of respirators, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Standing Committee on Personal Protective Equipment for Workplace Safety and Health convened a virtual workshop, Current Issues in the Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices: Nontraditional Workers and Public Use on August 4â€"5, 2020. Additionally, the workshop considered gaps in respiratory protection for outdoor workers and the general public. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
Download or read book NIOSH s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory written by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "NPPTL's resources include staff with world-recognized PPT expertise and facilities specifically equipped to carry out our mission. Staff possess unique expertise and experience in PPT research and development, respiratory protection technology, including metabolic and breathing simulation, open and closed circuit SCBA testing, and respirator testing using particulates, gases, and vapors. To achieve our mission, NPPTL: 1. Conducts work site surveillance of hazards for which PPT and PPE are used to protect workers, along with studies of patterns of PPT use. 2. Conducts laboratory and field research on the development and evaluation of innovative PPT and PPE. 3. Researches and develops criteria, standards, and guidelines relating to PPT performance, quality, reliability and efficacy. 4. Directs and carries out the NIOSH respirator certification program and related laboratory, field, quality, and records activities. 5. Produces and disseminates research findings, technical information, training materials, performance criteria, and recommendations for using PPE to improve worker protection. 6. Develops, studies, and assesses the effectiveness of communications and training approaches and technologies relating to PPT. NPPTL's four scientific focus areas are: 1. Respiratory Protection: Fill gaps in knowledge, methods, and measures for new NIOSH respirator performance, quality, and reliability standards; and provide recommendations for improving respiratory protection for a diverse user population. 2. Ensembles: Use a systems engineering approach for the design, development, evaluation, and integration of new technologies and performance, quality, and reliability standards for PPE ensembles. User communities, such as emergency responders, firefighters, mine workers, and health care workers, will have unique PPE ensembles developed specifically to protect against known occupational hazards. Ensembles will be reviewed frequently for appropriateness to emerging hazards. 3. Human Performance: Conduct studies designed to measure human physiological, biomechanical, cognitive, and exercise performance responses to wearing PPE and PPE ensembles, and then modify the ensembles to improve human performance. 4. Sensors: Develop, evaluate, and integrate effective residual life indicators and predictive models for protective clothing and respirators into PPE ensembles. NPPTL's products and services include: 1. Peer-reviewed scientific research studies, analyses, and reports to fill PPT knowledge gaps. 2. Standards for advanced PPT to assure appropriate system and guidance to workers. 3. Evaluations of technologies and recommendations for use. 4. Approval of respirators meeting NIOSH certification standards. 5. Quality assurance (QA) and compliance investigations triggered by suspected malfunctions of NIOSH-approved respirators. 6. Technical assistance and advice to regulating agencies, leading to improved science-based enforcement standards. 7. Policies for product certifications and standards. 8. Training and education. 9. User guidance documents (safety alerts, guidelines). We strive to make a difference for American workers and emergency responders who rely on the personal protective equipment we are developing to keep them safe and healthy on the job. " - NIOSHTIC-2
Download or read book The Personal Protective Technology Program at NIOSH written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2008-09-25 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maintaining the health and safety of workers in the United States and globally is accomplished in part by reducing hazardous exposures through the use of personal protective equipment. Personal protective technologies (PPT) include respirators worn by construction workers and miners; protective clothing, respirators, and gloves worn by firefighters and mine rescue workers; and respirators and protective clothing worn by healthcare workers. An estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million U.S. workplaces. For some occupations, such as firefighting, the worker's protective equipment is the only form of protection against life-threatening hazards; for other workers, the PPT is a supplement to ventilation and other environmental, engineering, or administrative hazard controls. In the United States, federal responsibility for civilian worker PPT is integral to the mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This book examines the NIOSH Personal Protective Technology Program (PPT Program) and specifically focuses on the relevance and impact of this program in reducing hazardous exposures and improving worker health and safety.
Download or read book NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection written by Nancy J. Bollinger and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Learning from SARS written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2004-04-26 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in late 2002 and 2003 challenged the global public health community to confront a novel epidemic that spread rapidly from its origins in southern China until it had reached more than 25 other countries within a matter of months. In addition to the number of patients infected with the SARS virus, the disease had profound economic and political repercussions in many of the affected regions. Recent reports of isolated new SARS cases and a fear that the disease could reemerge and spread have put public health officials on high alert for any indications of possible new outbreaks. This report examines the response to SARS by public health systems in individual countries, the biology of the SARS coronavirus and related coronaviruses in animals, the economic and political fallout of the SARS epidemic, quarantine law and other public health measures that apply to combating infectious diseases, and the role of international organizations and scientific cooperation in halting the spread of SARS. The report provides an illuminating survey of findings from the epidemic, along with an assessment of what might be needed in order to contain any future outbreaks of SARS or other emerging infections.
Download or read book Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk written by Suzanne H. Reuben and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2010-10 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though overall cancer incidence and mortality have continued to decline in recent years, cancer continues to devastate the lives of far too many Americans. In 2009 alone, 1.5 million American men, women, and children were diagnosed with cancer, and 562,000 died from the disease. There is a growing body of evidence linking environmental exposures to cancer. The Pres. Cancer Panel dedicated its 2008¿2009 activities to examining the impact of environmental factors on cancer risk. The Panel considered industrial, occupational, and agricultural exposures as well as exposures related to medical practice, military activities, modern lifestyles, and natural sources. This report presents the Panel¿s recommend. to mitigate or eliminate these barriers. Illus.
Download or read book Evaluation of Respiratory Protection Practices for Employees at Federal Immigration and Customs Agency Workplaces Nationwide written by Marie A. De Perio and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 43 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In July 2009, NIOSH received an HHE request from the American Federation of Government Employees. The union was concerned about respiratory protection for federal immigration and customs agency employees during the pH1N1 pandemic. NIOSH investigators reviewed the agency's written respiratory protection procedures, observed a respirator fit-testing session for employees at agency headquarters, and surveyed employees nationwide about respiratory protection practices. We found that the agency's respiratory protection policy, the respirator medical evaluation questionnaire, the qualitative fit-testing protocol, and the slide presentation serving as training for fit testers were comprehensive. The quality of the observed respirator fit-testing procedures was good. However, we identified several areas that needed improvement. Though the response rate for our survey was suboptimal with 2,218 responding employees, we found that that most respondents, particularly those from DRO and OI, have face-to-face contact with immigrants in their current job. This contact places them at risk for exposure to airborne infectious agents, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, influenza virus, rubeola virus, and varicella zoster virus. Most respondents completed all of the steps required for respirator use (medical clearance, respirator training, respirator fit testing). However, some gaps between medical clearance and respirator training existed. We also found low employee compliance with respirator usage and annual tuberculosis screening. The written respiratory protection programs were not readily available in some workplaces. The agency should maintain a written respiratory protection program for all workplaces to protect against airborne infectious agents and other respiratory hazards. The agency should require and arrange fit testing for employees at least annually and verify medical clearance prior to the fit test. Clear written procedures for the use of respirators should be developed and maintained, and specific indications for respirator usage should be included in training. Annual evaluations of the workplaces to ensure that the written respiratory protection program is being properly implemented should be conducted. Training provided to employees and fit testers should be improved to include more information on the technical capabilities of respirators and more specific instructions for performing face seal checks and for donning and doffing respirators. Employees who should undergo routine tuberculosis screening should be identified and informed. Finally, annual influenza vaccination should be recommended to all employees."--NIOSHTIC-2.
Download or read book Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-11-28 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During an influenza pandemic, healthcare workers will be on the front lines delivering care to patients and preventing further spread of the disease. As the nation prepares for pandemic influenza, multiple avenues for protecting the health of the public are being carefully considered, ranging from rapid development of appropriate vaccines to quarantine plans should the need arise for their implementation. One vital aspect of pandemic influenza planning is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)-the respirators, gowns, gloves, face shields, eye protection, and other equipment that will be used by healthcare workers and others in their day-to-day patient care responsibilities. However, efforts to appropriately protect healthcare workers from illness or from infecting their families and their patients are greatly hindered by the paucity of data on the transmission of influenza and the challenges associated with training and equipping healthcare workers with effective personal protective equipment. Due to this lack of knowledge on influenza transmission, it is not possible at the present time to definitively inform healthcare workers about what PPE is critical and what level of protection this equipment will provide in a pandemic. The outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 have underscored the importance of protecting healthcare workers from infectious agents. The surge capacity that will be required to reduce mortality from a pandemic cannot be met if healthcare workers are themselves ill or are absent due to concerns about PPE efficacy. The IOM committee determined that there is an urgent need to address the lack of preparedness regarding effective PPE for use in an influenza pandemic. Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic : Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers identifies that require expeditious research and policy action: (1) Influenza transmission research should become an immediate and short-term research priority so that effective prevention and control strategies can be developed and refined. The current paucity of knowledge significantly hinders prevention efforts. (2) Employer and employee commitment to worker safety and appropriate use of PPE should be strengthened. Healthcare facilities should establish and promote a culture of safety. (3) An integrated effort is needed to understand the PPE requirements of the worker and to develop and utilize innovative materials and technologies to create the next generation of PPE capable of meeting these needs.
