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Personal Protective Technology Program Update

NORA Liaison Committee and Partnerships Public Meeting

Maryann D’Alessandro, Ph.D.Associate Director for Science, NPPTLPPT Program Coordinator

June 29, 2011

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Presentation overview

PPT Barriers to Use Issues

PPT Program Mission and Goals

PPT Conformity Assessment

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An estimated 20 million workers use PPE on a regular basis to protect themselves from job hazards.

NIOSH PPT Program Vision and Mission

The VISION is to be the leading provider of quality, relevant, and timely PPT research, training, and evaluation.

The MISSION of the PPT program is to prevent work-related injury, illness and death by advancing the state of knowledge and application of personal protective technologies (PPT).

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PPT Program Strategic Goals

• Reduce exposure to inhalation hazards

• Reduce exposure to dermal hazards

• Reduce exposure to injury hazards

• Broad-based PPT issues

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PPT Program Logic Model

En

viron

men

tal A

ssessmen

t

Production Inputs

Inputs

Planning Inputs

Surveillance Data

Sector-cross sectorCoordination

External Factors

NAS COPPE

Stakeholders

Evaluations Ou

tcom

esTransferActivities

r2p

Respirator Certification

Policy and Standards

Communications

Current Activities

Research

Surveillance

Performance Metrics and Measures

Ou

tpu

ts

Emergency Response

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PPT Program activities focus on workplace relevance and Impact

Mine Escape Strategies • Respirator Certification

• Respirator Investigations

• New Technology Research

• Escape Respirator Research

• Escape Respirator Standards

• MSHA Collaboration

CBRN Protection• Respirator Standards

Development

• CBRN PPT Research

• Respirator Certification

• NFPA/IAFF Collaboration

• TSWG IAA

• OSHA Collaboration Pandemic Preparedness• N95 Respirator Research• Standards (Total Inward Leakage) • Respirator Certification• FDA Collaboration• National Academies Activities• Pandemic Planning and Response

Nanotechnology

Hazards • Filtration Research• Protective Clothing

Research• Respirator Research • Respirator Certification• Workplace Guidance

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PPT ProgramManagementPPT ProgramManagement

Policy & StandardsDevelopment

Policy & StandardsDevelopment

PPT Program Activities

Surveillance and CommunicationsSurveillance and Communications

Technology Evaluation

Technology Evaluation

Technology Research

Technology Research

· Respirator Certification Program

· Quality Audit Program

· Certified Product Investigations

· Long Term Field Evaluation Program

· Enhancements to 42 CFR Part 84

· CBRN respirator standards development

· Consensus standard development

· Guidance Document Development

· Respiratory Protection

· Protective Clothing & Ensembles

· Integration of Sensors & Electronics

· Human Performance

· Fall Protection

· Hearing Protection

· Outreach

· Surveillance

· Health Communications

· Web management

· Scientific evaluations

· Program evaluations

· Emergency response

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NA PPT Program Evaluation Relevance and Impact Ratings - June 2008

Relevance = 4

The program’s work is in priority subject areas, and NIOSH is engaged in appropriate transfer activities for completed projects or reported results.

Impact = 4

The program has made some contributions to end outcomes or well-accepted intermediate outcomes.

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NA PPT Program Evaluation Recommendations - June 2008

1. Implement and Sustain a Comprehensive National PPT Program

2. Establish PPT Research Centers of Excellence and Increase Extramural PPT Research

3. Enhance the Respirator Certification Process

4. Increase Research on the Use and Usability of PPT

5. Assess PPT Use and Effectiveness in the Workplace Using a Life-cycle Approach

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Recommendation 1: Implement and Sustain a Comprehensive National PPT

Program

Oversee certification of all PPT, including an assessment of certification mechanisms

PPT Program Activity: Technology Evaluation

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IOM Certifying PPT Report Recommendations(November 2010)

· Develop and Implement Risk-Based Conformity Assessment Processes for Non-Respirator PPT

· Enhance Research, Standards Development, and Communication

· Establish a PPT and Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance System

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What are the conformity assessment program challenges?

· What is conformity assessment?

· How can a risk-based approach to conformity assessment system design be applied to PPT?

· How do standards and conformity assessment impact the selection and use of PPE?

· How important are PPE standards to PPE achieving the expected level of protection through proper use, maintenance and training?

· How can standards coordination be achieved for various types of PPE and PPE systems (i.e., ensembles)?

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What are the conformity assessment roles and responsibilities challenges?

· Under what circumstances is first-party conformity assessment appropriate; when is third-party assessment required?

· What mechanisms must be developed or enhanced for federal agencies having authorities in this area to ensure a uniform and consistently applied approach?

· How is the PPE user community involved to drive market support for PPE conformity with performance standards?

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Organizing and Operating Philosophy: “First, do no harm.”

The committee recognizes that many conformity assessment processes already in place can fit this (proposed) framework.

(p. 114, IOM report)

Provide your input to NIOSH PPT Conformity Assessment Docket # 237 available until July 1, 2011

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Define barriers to and facilitators of PPT use

PPT Program Activity: Technology Research and Surveillance and Communication

NA Report Recommendation 4 : Increase Research on the Use and Usability of PPT

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Examples of Current Initiatives Addressing PPT Barriers

• Improving respirator use among roadway construction workers

• Improving PPE use among agriculture pesticide handlers

• Understanding barriers to proper N95 respirator use among healthcare workers

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PPT Surveillance and Intervention Studies Roadway Construction

Objectives - Evaluate and identify methods to improve respirator use and the interfaces of respirators with other PPE

• 2005 – 2007 – Assess roadway construction practices

• 2007 – 2012 - Identify shortcomings in current respiratory protection programs and develop interventions

• 2008 – 2012 - Evaluate interventions for utility and acceptance as judged by contractors/workers

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Agriculture Pesticide HandlersPPT Surveillance and Intervention Studies

Objectives - Understand PPT practices and barriers among agricultural pesticide handlers and their employers over time and develop interventions to address PPT barriers to best practices

· 2009 – 2010 - Assess current surveillance studies

· 2010 - 2011 - Develop and pilot data gathering strategies

· 2011 – 2012 - Implement questionnaires and focus groups

· 2013 – 2015 - Develop and implement interventions

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Public Health Practice Study of 16 California facilities selected by stratified random sample

• Objectives: Describe extent to which hospitals in California have implemented required elements of RPPs for H1N1 Influenza and develop interventions to address deficiencies

• 2009-2010: Assess Healthcare workers during pandemic operations:• barriers to proper respirator use • knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding N95

respirators• Workplace safety climate

• Interventions to be made available for modification and implementation nationwide

• Parallel efforts underway in 5 states (NY, NC, MN, IL, MI)

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Demonstration and Sentinel Surveillance System of PPE Usage in US Healthcare

Workers

Objectives: Determine the feasibility to identify, describe, develop, pilot, monitor and evaluate PPE surveillance systems used in a medical center setting.

Develop data collection points at VUMC (PPE usage, types, selection, fit-test, clearance, compliance, resources, recalls, outcomes etc.)

Pilot System at VUMC in 2011

Use data to Establish “Best Practices”

Develop a National PPE Usage Surveillance System

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Project BREATHE - Better Respirator Equipment using Advanced Technology for Healthcare Employees

Objective - Improve respirator use compliance among healthcare workers (HCW) by developing information products, respirator performance requirements, and advanced technologies for the next generation of HCW respirators that are more comfortable and tolerable.

• Comfort & tolerability research and test method development (underway)

• Respirator clinical effectiveness study (underway)

• Partnership / prototype development (underway)

• Prototype lab & field trials • Commercialization / standards

development

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PPT Program Stakeholder Meeting

March 20-21, 2012

SAVE THE DATE!

Hyatt Regency PittsburghInternational AirportADDRESS 1111 Airport Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15231, USAPhone 724-899-1234 SALES FAX 724-899-6080

Sector Focus: Agriculture, Construction, Healthcare, Mining, and Public Safety

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Quality Partnerships Enhance Worker Safety & Health

Thank you

Visit Us at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/

Disclaimer:

The findings and conclusions in this presentation have not been formally disseminated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.