CBRN PAPR NIOSH Approved Respirators

Attention, Emergency Responders: How To Determine If Your Powered, Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) Is NIOSH Certified For CBRN Environments

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** Check the Labels**

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is testing and certifying powered, air-purifying respirators (PAPR) for use by emergency responders in atmospheres that contain chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) respiratory hazards. This page provides information for determining if a given PAPR is certified by NIOSH for use by emergency responders in a potential CBRN situation. It also provides a list of devices that have been certified by NIOSH for such use.

• Go to List of Certified CBRN PAPRs

IMPORTANT NOTE:

In response to a CBRN exposure event, emergency first responders should use NIOSH approved CBRN self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) respirators when the types of inhalation hazards and their concentrations are unknown or expected to be high. The CBRN PAPR full facepiece respirator provides a lower level of protection than the SCBA and its use is generally allowed once conditions are understood and exposures are determined to be at lower levels.

The CBRN PAPR respirator should not be used in atmospheres where hazard concentrations are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH), or oxygen deficient (contain less than 19.5% oxygen). If unknown or high levels of hazard are encountered due to a secondary hazard source during normal use, the user should immediately leave the area. NIOSH is currently drafting detailed user guidance for the CBRN PAPR.

How to Determine If A Given PAPR Has Been Tested And Certified By NIOSH For Use By Emergency Responders In CBRN Environments

There are three types of labels, which are included with a CBRN PAPR respirator, a label located on the canister, a matrix-style cartridge or canister approval label, and a matrix-style respirator approval label. The matrix-style approval labels are part of the users instructions or included as an insert with the packaging. All three labels include TC # and CBRN protection level in addition to other respirator/canister information.  Tight fitting CBRN PAPR respirators are approved under schedule 14G and the approval number will begin with "TC-14G-".   Loose fitting CBRN PAPR respirators are approved under schedule 23C and the approval number will begin with "TC-23C-"

• Look to see if the full cartridge or canister label is like the one shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2. Cartridge and Canister labels will specify the CBRN protection level (CBRN PAPR Cap 1, CBRN PAPR Cap 2 or CBRN PAPR Cap 3). The dual label for Canisters approved for both APR/PAPR is not yet posted.

• If a PAPR is CBRN-approved by NIOSH, the full cartridge or canister label will identify the CBRN protection level. If the cartridge or canister label does not identify a CBRN protection level, the device is not approved by NIOSH for use by emergency first responders in CBRN environments. The full cartridge or canister label will specify its part number and if the cartridge or canister has been approved for use for CBRN protection. If the canister label does not specify CBRN protection, it is not certified by NIOSH for use by emergency responders in CBRN environments.
  
  
• Information on an approved configuration is provided through the NIOSH, matrix-style approval labels found in the users instructions for the respirator. See Figures 3-6. User instructions are provided with the respirator by the manufacturer.

Figure 3. Sample matrix-style PAPR canister approval label with CBRN PAPR Cap 1 protection. This label is part of the users instructions or included in the packaging. View a full-size PDF version of this image.

Figure 4. Sample matrix-style PAPR cartridge approval label with CBRN PAPR Cap 1 protection. This label is part of the users instructions or included in the packaging. View a full-size PDF version of this image.

• The approval number for a loose fitting PAPR approved for CBRN environments will have a TC-23C prefix (TC-23C-XXXX) and can be found on all three labels.
  
  
• The approval number for a tight fitting PAPR approved for CBRN environments will have a TC-14G prefix (TC-14G-XXXX) and can be found on all three labels.
  
  
• The user instructions manual must be used in conjunction with the matrix-style label to define the approved configuration.
  
  
• The complete PAPR assembly and subassemblies must be composed only of those component parts listed in the row with the CBRN protection. Part numbers that are found only in the rows of the non-CBRN approvals must not be used as part of a CBRN PAPR assembly.
  

Figure 5. Sample matrix-style Tight Fitting PAPR respirator approval label with CBRN PAPR Cap 1 protection. This label is part of the users instructions or included in the packaging. View a full-size PDF version of this image.

Figure 6. Sample matrix-style Loose Fitting PAPR respirator approval label with CBRN PAPR Cap 1 protection. This label is part of the users instructions or included in the packaging. View a full-size PDF version of this image.

NIOSH is providing manufacturers’ addresses for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute a commercial endorsement of the products. This information is accurate as of 04/03/2007, but additional models may also be approved.

The devices certified by NIOSH for use by emergency responders in CBRN environments are listed by manufacturer, NIOSH approval number, model, protection, major components and subassemblies. Verify the approved configuration with the user instructions and approval labels.

The following CBRN Powered Air-Purifying Loose Fitting Respirators (PAPR) are approved by NIOSH:

The following CBRN Powered Air-Purifying Tight Fitting Respirators (PAPR) are approved by NIOSH: