[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11919-11920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03737]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket Number CDC-2017-0001, NIOSH-293]


Personal Protective Equipment Information (PPE-Info) Database

AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

[[Page 11920]]


ACTION: Request for information and comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the 
availability of a draft web-based database entitled PPE-Info for public 
comment. To view the notice and related materials, visit 
www.regulations.gov and enter CDC-2017-0001 in the search field and 
click ``Search.''

Table of Contents

 Dates:
 Addresses:
 For Further Information Contact:
 Supplementary Information:
 Background:
 Information Needs:
 Reference


DATES: Electronic or written comments must be received by April 13, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by CDC-2017-0001 and 
docket number NIOSH-293, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health, NIOSH Docket Office, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, MS C-34, Cincinnati, 
Ohio 45226-1998.
    Instructions: All information received in response to this notice 
must include the agency name and docket number [CDC-2017-0001; NIOSH-
293]. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to 
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For 
access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, 
go to www.regulations.gov. All information received in response to this 
notice will also be available for public examination and copying at the 
NIOSH Docket Office, 1150 Tusculum Avenue, Room 155, Cincinnati, OH 
45226-1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Moore, NIOSH, National Personal 
Protective Technology Laboratory, Office of the Director, 626 Cochrans 
Mill Road, Building 20, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236, (412) 386-6613, (not a 
toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PPE-Info is a collection of national 
personal protective equipment (PPE) information. The database provides 
standards developers, manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers, and end 
users of PPE with the ability to conduct general- or advanced-criteria 
searches of (1) relevant standards, (2) associated product types, (3) 
target occupational groups, (4) basic conformity assessment 
specifications, and (5) an abundance of additional pertinent 
information. PPE-Info is the only private or public U.S. database that 
compiles, tracks, and updates comprehensive information about national 
PPE standards and select product information.
    Using this collection of information, PPE-Info currently offers the 
following capabilities:
     Identification of PPE standards, searchable by PPE type, 
hazard category, Standards Development Organization, Standard 
Occupational Classification (SOC) code, standard type, and standard 
status, with basic- and advanced-search functions;
     A PPE-Selection Logic Tool for potential Ebola exposure;
     Identification of 3rd party testing laboratories whose 
scope of accreditation includes testing to the identified standard.
    1. Background: In 2011 NIOSH began an effort to address the 
recommendations issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in its report 
``Certifying Personal Protective Technologies: Improving Worker 
Safety,'' which recommended that ``NIOSH NPPTL should continue and 
expand its role in PPT [personal protective technology] conformity 
assessment. Specifically, NPPTL should expand its role and become the 
primary clearinghouse for reliable information on non-respirator PPT.'' 
The PPE-Info Database is an initial key element designed to address 
this IOM recommendation. The PPE-Info Web site was developed in 2012 
and is available for use and review (https://wwwn.cdc.gov/PPEinfo). In 
addition, users can access a tutorial on the features and use of the 
current PPE-Info database (https://niosh-connect.adobeconnect.com/p7o6sz3xxt5/).
    Information Needs: Public comments and recommendations are needed 
to assist NIOSH in finalizing the PPE-Info database. Information is 
needed to answer the following questions:
    1. What improvements to the current PPE-Info capabilities are still 
needed? For example,
    a. Should PPE-Info include a list of PPE that conforms to a given 
standard along with the corresponding level of conformity (e.g., 
supplier declaration of conformity, accredited third-party declaration 
of conformity)? If so, what types of PPE would be the most important to 
include? Provide your rationale, any supporting data or information, 
including references or sources of technical expert opinion.
    b. Should additional selection logic assistance be added, similar 
to what PPE-Info already does for the hazard of Ebola? If so, which 
hazards would be most relevant to include and, of those, which have 
been sufficiently researched to support this logic selection 
assistance? Provide any supporting data or information regarding the 
research, including references.
    2. In addition to the existing content included in PPE-Info, what 
new content or capabilities could be included to further improve health 
and safety outcomes for U.S. workers? Please provide an explanation for 
why these improvements are needed, including the affected parties/
target audience and the potential impact to the PPE community if these 
improvements were made. For example, should PPE-Info include 
international PPE standards? If so, what standards would be the highest 
priority? Provide your rationale, any supporting data or information, 
including references or sources of technical expert opinion.
    3. What improvements (if any) to PPE-Info are needed to achieve the 
IOM's vision of the ``primary clearinghouse for reliable information on 
non-respirator PPT?'' Please provide an explanation for why these 
improvements are needed, including the affected parties/target audience 
and the potential impact to the PPE community if these improvements 
were made. Provide your rationale, any supporting data or information, 
including references or sources of technical expert opinion.
    4. Identify any other issues that you feel NIOSH should address in 
regards to this database. Please provide an explanation for why these 
improvements are needed, including the affected parties/target audience 
and the potential impact to the PPE community if these improvements 
were made. Provide your rationale, any supporting data or information, 
including references or sources of technical expert opinion, or 
describe your experiences as a database user.

Reference

Cohen HJ, Liverman CT [2010]. ``Certifying Personal Protective 
Technologies: Improving Worker Safety.'' https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12962/certifying-personal-protective-technologies-improving-worker-safety)

John Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2017-03737 Filed 2-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-19-P