Approved Respirator Standards

Escape Respirators Used to Protect the General Worker Population Against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Agents

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), along with the U.S. Army Soldier Biological and Chemical Command (SBCCOM), and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) are continuing their efforts to develop appropriate standards and test procedures for all classes of respirators that will provide respiratory protection from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) agents inhalation hazards. A standards development effort has been initiated for the development of a CBRN standard for Escape Respirators.

Statement of Standard for CBRN Air-Purifying Escape Respirators and Self-Contained Escape Respirators

The new requirements for air-purifying escape respirator and self-contained escape respirator certification have been developed using the concept development process, and are responsive to public comments NIOSH received during three public meetings, numerous stakeholder meetings and to the NIOSH docket. NIOSH initiates the voluntary approval program pursuant to Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 84.60(b), 84.63(c), and 84.110(c). These sections provide NIOSH with the authority to issue approvals for respirators not specifically addressed in Part 84 and to develop additional requirements that the agency determines are “necessary to establish the quality, effectiveness and safety of any respirator used as protection against hazardous atmospheres.”

NIOSH initiated the certification program through a formal letter to manufacturers and interested stakeholdersthat contains additional details for those parties interested in certification program participation.

The following documents are reflected in the letter to manufacturers and interested stakeholders:

• Statement of Standard for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Air-Purifying Escape Respirator
• Statement of Standard for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Self-Contained Escape Respirator
• Guidelines for Identification of Test Configurations for Exposure to GB/HD and Part Number Change Guidelines
• Test Equipment and Test Data, Approval Labels and Markings
• CBRN Escape Respirator Certification Costs
• Cautions and Limitations – Air-Purifying Escape Respirators

Public Comments regarding requirements for consideration in the Escape Respirator Concept Development should be provided to the NIOSH Docket Office:

NIOSH Docket Office, Reference: NIOSH DOCKET – 010
Robert A. Taft Laboratories
Mail Stop C34
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226

Telephone: (513) 533-8611
Fax: (513) 533-8285
Email: nioshdocket@cdc.gov

Concept Papers

Links to concept papers will be posted on this page so interested stakeholders can follow the progress of the standards development efforts.

• June 30 , 2003 – Concept for CBRN Escape Respirator Standard
• June 15 , 2003 – Concept for CBRN Escape Respirator Standard
• May 15 , 2003 – Concept for CBRN Escape Respirator Standard
• April 15 , 2003 – Concept for CBRN Escape Respirator Standard
• October 15 , 2002 – Concept for CBRN Air-Purifying Escape Respirator Standard
• September 5, 2002 – Concept for CBRN Air-Purifying Escape Respirator Standard