NIOSH Conformity Assessment Interpretation Notice

NIOSH CA 2019-1013
February 2019

1 – SUMMARY

NIOSH is revising the requirement for respirator labels for air-purifying and powered air-purifying respirator configurations. Beginning March 1, 2019 NIOSH will no longer require applicants to provide separate full filter and cartridge labels, as stated in the July 19, 1995 Letter to All Respirator Manufacturers (question 38) and Standard Application Procedures.

NIOSH is not changing the requirements for the full respirator label or the abbreviated filter and cartridge labels.

2 – AUTHORITY

Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices, 42 C.F.R, Part 84

3 – REFERENCES

NIOSH LETTER TO ALL RESPIRATOR MANUFACTURERS dated July 19, 1995 included a question and answer format. Information about filter labels was included in question 38: Which label goes on the filter and which label goes on the filter box?

The letter stated, in response to question 38: This policy has not changed. An abbreviated label goes on each filter and the complete approval label goes on the outside of the box. However, if the label will not fit on the outside of the box in can be included as an insert inside the box. If the label is inserted, the box should say “NIOSH-approved – See Insert.”

Standard Application Procedure for the Approval of Air-purifying Respirators and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Air-Purifying Respirators Under 42 CFR Part 84, revised March 12, 2018, Section 6.1 Checklist item 26

Standard Application Procedure for the Approval of Powered Air-purifying Respirators and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Powered Air-Purifying Respirators Under 42 CFR Part 84, revised March 12, 2018, Section 6.1 Checklist item 26

NIOSH labeling requirements for air-purifying and powered air-purifying respirators, effective March 1, 2019. Supersedes the July 19, 1995 Letter to All Respirator Manufacturers [PDF – 166 KB]