NIOSH DOD OSHA sponsored Chemical and Biological Respiratory Protection Workshop report

Abstract

"Since publication of Presidential Initiative 62, municipal, state, and national guard responder groups have been developing response plans and establishing the procedural and equipment infrastructures to capably respond to chemical and /or biological terrorism and other crisis situations. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) co-sponsored this technical Workshop together with the Department of Defense(DOD)-US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command(SBCCOM) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA). Workshop objectives were to: 1)identify and understand the hazards associated with chemical and/or biological incidents, 2)identify the different responders and their respirator protection needs, 3)determine which respirators and selection criteria are currently being utilized for response to these type of incidents, and 4)determining public health and medical community concerns which must be considered in developing a standard for chemical and/or biological respiratory protective devices." - NIOSHTIC-2John M. Dower, Richard W. Metzler, Frank M. Palya, Jeff A. Peterson, Molly Pickett-Harner."February 2000."Also available via the World Wide Web.Includes bibliographical references