Which organization certifies respirator models for workplace safety in the United States?

Which organization certifies respirator models for workplace safety in the United States?

• A. FDA
• B. NIOSH
• C. OSHA
• D. EPA

Answer: (B)

NIOSH is the organization that certifies respirator models for workplace safety in the United States. They test and approve respirators to meet specific performance criteria for protection, and then issue approval numbers (TC numbers) that label models as certified for occupational use. OSHA relies on these NIOSH-certified respirators for compliance in the workplace, so certification by NIOSH is what enables a respirator to be legally and effectively used in safety programs. FDA and EPA handle different domains (medical devices and environmental protection, respectively), so they aren’t the agencies responsible for certifying respirator models for workplace use.

NIOSH is the organization that certifies respirator models for workplace safety in the United States. They test and approve respirators to meet specific performance criteria for protection, and then issue approval numbers (TC numbers) that label models as certified for occupational use. OSHA relies on these NIOSH-certified respirators for compliance in the workplace, so certification by NIOSH is what enables a respirator to be legally and effectively used in safety programs. FDA and EPA handle different domains (medical devices and environmental protection, respectively), so they aren’t the agencies responsible for certifying respirator models for workplace use.