Personal Protective Technology Program

Program Description

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Personal Protective Technology (PPT) Program’s mission is to prevent work-related injury, illness, and death by advancing the state of knowledge and application of PPT. NIOSH established an internal team of researchers, scientists, and management personnel to lead the strategic planning activities, and provide input to program development and monitoring to sustain the PPT Program. The vision of the Program is to be the leading provider of quality, relevant, and timely PPT research, standards, certifications, and interventions. PPT in this context is defined as the technical methods (e.g. fit testing methods), processes, techniques, tools, and materials that support the development and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by individuals to reduce the effects of their exposure to a hazard. An estimated 20 million workers use PPE on a regular basis to protect them from job hazards. PPE protects workers from death and disabling injuries and illnesses resulting from exposures to hazardous airborne particles, harmful chemicals, excessive noise, falls, physical trauma, and fires.

The PPT Core and Specialty Program is relevant to all industry sectors. The main focus of the PPT Program’s projects and activities is on PPT issues affecting the Public Safety, Healthcare and Social Assistance, and Mining Sectors. Many projects could be applied across multiple sectors including various research, standard development, conformity assessment, and intervention activities. The program complements the Hearing Loss Program, the Traumatic Injury Program, Emergency Preparedness and Response, the Nanotechnology Research Center, and the Total Worker Heath Programs.

The PPT Program is responsible for testing and certifying new respirators before they enter the market. This ensures that NIOSH-approved respirators meet the minimum construction, performance, and respiratory protection standards to keep users safe. The program conducts post market activities such as the Long Term Field Evaluation Program, the Certified Product Investigation Process, and the site and product audit programs. The product audit program obtains targeted respirators through normal commercial channels and tests the devices to ensure they continue to perform to the applicable standard. The site audit program involves auditing sites where respirator approval holders manufacture their products.

In addition, the program works to evaluate and improve equipment worn by workers by conducting research on new technologies, emerging hazards, and PPE test methods. Based on the research, the PPT Program is able to develop and implement science-based national guidance for respiratory and other personal protective technologies. The program performs outreach to disseminate guidance and tools to help employers and employees use PPT as effectively as possible.