[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 202 (Thursday, October 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 52834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22721]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES



Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



[Docket Number CDC-2018-0085, NIOSH-319]




Partnership Opportunity To List in a Public Database (PPE-Info) 

Appropriate Personnel Protective Equipment Products That Protect 

Workers Against Fentanyl Exposure



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).



ACTION: Notice.



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SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the 

opportunity for manufacturers to participate in an evolution of the 

PPE-Info database to include products identified as protection against 

fentanyl exposure. To view the notice and related materials, visit 

https://www.regulations.gov and enter CDC-2018-0085 in the search field 

and click ``Search.''



DATES: Electronic or written comments expressing willingness to 

participate must be received by November 19, 2018. Other types of 

comments are not being requested. Product information is not required 

to be submitted in this timeframe.



ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by CDC-2018-0085; NIOSH-

319, by any of the following methods:

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://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-2018-0085; NIOSH-

319]. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to 

https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 

provided. For access to the docket to read background documents or 

comments received, go to https://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: [email protected], NIOSH, National 

Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, Office of the Director, 626 

Cochrans Mill Road, Building 141, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236, 1-888-654-2294 

(a toll free number).



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PPE-Info is a collection of national 

personal protective equipment (PPE) information. The database provides 

PPE standards setting organizations, manufacturers, suppliers, 

purchasers, and end users 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) additional pertinent information. 

PPE-Info is the only U.S. database that is maintained with 

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; 

and

     Identification of 3rd party testing laboratories whose 

scope of accreditation includes testing to the identified standard.

    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 a key element designed to address this IOM 

recommendation. First developed in 2012, the PPE-Info website is 

available for public use at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/PPEinfo. In addition, 

there is a tutorial for users on the features and use of the current 

PPE-Info database at https://niosh-connect.adobeconnect.com/p7o6sz3xxt5/.

    Information Needs: NIOSH is expanding the PPE-Info Database as a 

tool to connect existing protection standards with relevant PPE 

information for protection against fentanyl and its analogues. This new 

aspect of the NIOSH PPE-Info Database will allow end users (e.g., 

emergency responders) to find products (e.g., gloves and coveralls) 

that are compliant (as confirmed by manufacturer) with the protection 

standards outlined by the CDC Fentanyl PPE Guidance at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fentanyl/risk.html. The objective is to 

include information about all PPE types associated with the CDC 

Fentanyl PPE Guidance as the information becomes available. Since there 

is no single source for this information, NIOSH is requesting that 

manufacturers provide CDC with their product information directly for 

input into the database to provide end users with Fentanyl PPE 

selection options. NIOSH will develop individual Memoranda of 

Understanding (MOU) with PPE manufacturers to facilitate the sharing of 

product information. The primary focus of the collaboration with an 

individual manufacturer will be (1) the receipt of manufacturer product 

information to be collected and displayed in the NIOSH PPE-Info 

Database; and (2) the verification, by the manufacturer, of product 

information displayed in the NIOSH PPE-Info Database. The purpose of 

these collaborations is to obtain information on all currently 

available PPE types that comply with the CDC Fentanyl PPE Guidance.



References



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.





    Dated: October 15, 2018.

Frank J Hearl,

Chief of Staff, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[FR Doc. 2018-22721 Filed 10-17-18; 8:45 am]

 BILLING CODE 4163-19-P