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On January 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission vacated an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citation in a fatal attempted robbery of a Pennsylvania Turnpike toll collection van. The cited employer disputed the agency’s citation for a serious violation of the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard (29 CFR 1910.132(a)). An armed guard […]
As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic as both individuals and business people, protection is top of mind. Corporations across the globe are prioritizing protection for their employees in ways they may not have had to before. As someone who’s spent his career focused on materials and products designed to enhance end-user comfort and safety, high-performance […]
Filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) with exhalation valves, as well as a surgical mask or an unregulated face covering, can reduce a wearer’s aerosol emissions, according to a report released on December 9 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). With modifications, the respirators can offer the same level of source control as […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not consider cloth face coverings personal protective equipment (PPE), the agency said on November 18 in an update to its frequently asked questions (FAQs) about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and NFPA’s research affiliate, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, to cooperate on issues involving emergency responder personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE), including the development of standards concerning first responder safety, deployment, operations, and […]
Why are there still shortages of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs)? Basically, when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was declared in March, a spike in demand for N95 respirators met a “just-in-time” supply chain. Both industry and government have moved to address shortages. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by an infection of the […]
Exceptions from respiratory protection regulations allowing the use of surgical masks only apply to healthcare facilities and emergency medical services, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reminded employers. Other employers must provide respirators, the agency explained in guidance discussing the differences among cloth face coverings, surgical masks, and respirators.
Non-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) made in China are no longer authorized for decontamination, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on June 6.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) issued interim guidance for protecting employees in hospitals from exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and a guide to the state’s Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD) standard.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published guidance for employers reopening their businesses as states lift stay-at-home orders issued this spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.