NIOSH Launches Awareness Campaign to Advance Workplace Respirator Safety
Federal safety officials release educational tools to help employers select, verify and properly fit protective respiratory gear.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Aug 27, 2026
Federal workplace safety researchers are calling on employers to review their respiratory protection protocols as part of an ongoing initiative to reduce airborne hazards across major industrial sectors.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is offering updated educational resources to assist companies in selecting, verifying and maintaining proper equipment for employees exposed to harmful vapors, dust and biological agents.
The campaign highlights the role protective equipment plays for millions of workers in healthcare, construction, manufacturing, mining and emergency response. Safety guidance provided through the initiative addresses proper equipment selection, correct fitting procedures and methods to identify counterfeit or non-compliant devices in the supply chain.
Part of the federal agency's National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory is responsible for testing and certifying equipment used in industrial settings. The laboratory evaluates gear to ensure it meets rigorous performance and quality control standards before receiving federal approval.
To support compliance efforts, federal officials are providing visual step-by-step guides for putting on and removing filtering facepiece devices, alongside sector-specific research bulletins designed to improve safety culture in high-risk environments.
About the Author
Jesse Jacobs is assistant editor of OHSOnline.com.