Issues
Respirator Certification Funding
It’s critical for NIOSH’s Respiratory Approval Program to have the funding it needs to test and certify respirators that protect nearly 50 million workers in the U.S.
Get the Facts
30%
Share of NPPTL’s budget allocated to the Respirator Approval Program
Source: National Academies
The Issue
NIOSH approval is the global gold standard for respirators. The agency’s National Personal Protective Technologies Lab (NPPTL) is the Federal government’s trusted source of respiratory protection insight, information and research. NPPTL now has an increased role in the discussion around public health supply chain resiliency.
The 49 million U.S. respirator users, including fire fighters, deserve to have the most advanced protective equipment possible. Key to that is an adequately funded, modern NPPTL Respirator Approval Program. Additional funding for the RAP would benefit:
- The public by allowing anyone to access an automatically updated NIOSH Certified Equipment List, to verify claims of NIOSH approval
- Workers by ensuring that they have access to the latest in respiratory protection technology
- PPE manufacturers by streamlining and accelerating the application process
- NIOSH by reducing existing bottlenecks and drains on staff time
ISEA
