NIOSH Extends Respirator Certification Transition Period
The new rule allows NIOSH to extend the date until one year after the agency first approves a CCER model.
NIOSH has extended the transition period for the respirator certification standard by way of a new final rule. The standards initially established in the 2012 final rule were originally designed to take effect over a three-year transition period, during which manufacturers were allowed to continue to manufacture, label, and sell respirators certified to the prior standards. The new rule allows NIOSH to extend the concluding date until one year after the agency approves a Closed-Circuit Escape Respirator (CCER) model.
This extension will allow manufacturers to obtain NIOSH approval, establish production capacity, and complete the modification of existing CCER designs. It also will help ensure that a constant supply of approves CCERs remains available for purchase.