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 4–5, 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.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• PLANNING COMMITTEE ON CURRENT ISSUES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES: A WORKSHOP
• Reviewers
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• 1. Introduction
  • WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
  • TERMINOLOGY
  • ORGANIZATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS
  • OPENING REMARKS
• 2. Lessons Learned from 100 Years of Respiratory Protection
  • CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
  • APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
  • DISCUSSION
• 3. Respiratory Risks and User Requirements for Nontraditional Workers
  • RESPIRATORY RISKS AND RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN SCHOOLS AND MEATPACKING FACILITIES
  • SMOKE EXPOSURE AMONG WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS
  • RESPIRATORY PROTECTION FOR NONTRADITIONAL WORKERS
  • DISCUSSION
• 4. Respiratory Risks and User Requirements for the Public
  • NON-OCCUPATIONAL RESPIRATOR USE AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES
  • RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS
  • IMPROVING MASKS WORN BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFLECTIONS FROM DAY 1
• 5. Assessment Pathways for Respiratory Protective Devices for Occupational Use by Nontraditional Workers
  • RESPIRATORY PROTECTION AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT IN OCCUPATIONAL SETTINGS
  • RESPIRATOR APPROVAL FOR USE IN WORKPLACES
  • ALTERNATIVE CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT APPROACHES
  • DISCUSSION
• 6. Assessment Pathways for Respiratory Protective Devices for the Public
  • CHALLENGES IN PROVIDING RESPIRATORY PROTECTION TO THE PUBLIC
  • CLASSIFICATIONS AND TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE FACE COVERINGS
  • DEVELOPING A STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR BARRIER FACE COVERINGS
  • DISCUSSION
• 7. Addressing Research and Communication Gaps
  • PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ABOUT RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
  • A HUMAN FACTORS AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE ON RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • USE OF RESPIRATORS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC
  • DISCUSSION
  • FINAL REFLECTIONS AND DISCUSSION
• References
• Appendix A. Statement of Task
• Appendix B. Workshop Agenda
• Appendix C. Biographical Sketches of Workshop Speakers, Moderators, and Staff

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Current issues in the assessment of respiratory protective devices for occupational and non-occupational uses: Proceedings of a workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25951.

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/25951

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

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