Request for Comments and Scientific Information

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is working to develop appropriate standards and test procedures for respiratory devices used to protect workers in hazardous environments. NIOSH has initiated a program to update portions of Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 84 (42 CFR Part 84) to promote improved performance and reliability of supplied-air respirators (SAR).

The concept paper is available though this web site at the link below.  Comments on this concept paper will be accepted through September 30, 2008.  Reference Docket Number 083-A for all submissions related to this topic.  Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate in this process by submitting written views, arguments, recommendations, and scientific data. Comments are invited on any topic related to this concept paper.

Docket Number 083 is a collection of documents related to the development of an updated SAR performance standard. A NIOSH public meeting held on October 12, 2006 discussed the development of a SAR performance standard for protection against chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological (CBRN) threats. Stakeholder feedback accumulated as a result of public meetings will be considered in the conceptual development of performance and testing requirements. Comments submitted relating to the previous draft SAR concept performance standards were retained due to their historical and technical value which influenced the development of this current Draft Concept of Subpart J; July 1, 2008. NIOSH has strategically determined that adoption of all future respirator standards will be accomplished in a modular fashion using the informal rulemaking process resulting in a revised 42 CFR Part 84; thus, the new SAR performance standard will be adopted using this process.

Official comments provided to Docket Number 083-A relating to the Draft Concept of Subpart J; July 1, 2008 shall be evaluated and be considered in developing the next draft concept and throughout the informal rulemaking process.

The draft document for review and comment is available here:

Draft Subpart J; Supplied-Air Respirator; July 1, 2008	SARConceptStandardOutline.pdf (176kb; 21 pages)
The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view these files.

Public Comment Period

Written comments on the document and resource information will be accepted through September 30, 2008 in accordance with the instructions below. All material submitted to NIOSH should reference Docket Number NIOSH-083-A. All electronic comments should be formatted as Microsoft Word and make reference to docket number NIOSH-083-A.

Comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on September 30, 2008

To submit comments regarding this draft publication, please use one of these options:

• Send NIOSH comments using this online form
  
  
• Send comments by email.
  
  
• Fax comments to the NIOSH Docket Office: 513-533-8285
  
  
• Send by Mail to:
  NIOSH Mailstop: C-34
  Robert A. Taft Lab.
  4676 Columbia Parkway
  Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

NIOSH Draft Documents for Public Review