NFPA Proposes Standard Amendment to Protect First Responders from Ebola Virus
The tentative amendment follows work conducted by the CDC.
The National Fire Protection Association is seeking comments on a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) to NFPA 1999, according to a news release. The NFPA is titled Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations and is intended to help protect first responders from exposure to the Ebola virus.
The TIA follows work conducted by the CDC and Prevention, the World Health Organization, as well as other organizations and federal agencies that recognized the need for a national standard on personal protective equipment to protect emergency first responders form exposure to liquid-borne pathogens.
Other organizations, such as the Human and Health Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Response and Interagency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability, are working to address the issue.