Washington — NIOSH has updated its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Respiratory Protection Handbook.
The update “reflects new and emerging chemical and radiological hazards information identified during a recent hazard assessment conducted by NIOSH, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense.”
Among the changes: NIOSH has expanded its CBRN air-purifying respirator protection list to “capture additional hazards that NIOSH-approved APRs with CBRN canisters” would protect against. That list is in Chapter 2, Table 2-1.
The handbook also incorporates updates to National Fire Protection Association standards on respirators with CBRN protections.
NIOSH points to an error in the previous version of the handbook: “For positive pressure tight-fitting respirators, OSHA regulations and NFPA standards permit the use of a qualitative or quantitative fit test.”
In its correction, the agency says: “OSHA continues to accept qualitative fit testing for positive pressure tight-fitting respirators, however NFPA should not have been included in that statement. NFPA only identifies quantitative fit testing for wearers of positive pressure respirators, such as [a self-contained breathing apparatus].”
