ISEA applauds FDA’s move to end use of non-NIOSH-approved disposable respirators in health care workplaces
Effective Tuesday, July 6, non-NIOSH-approved disposable respirators (and related decontamination and bioburden reduction systems) can no longer be used by health care personnel in health care settings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced June 30 that it is revoking its Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for those products. The move means if health care personnel want or need to use more than a surgical mask, they have to use a NIOSH-approved respirator.
FDA’s announcement came after the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), together with the American Mask Manufacturers Association (AMMA), asked the FDA to take immediate steps to revoke those EUAs. ISEA and AMMA recommended the EUA allowing NIOSH-approved respirators to be used in health care workplaces to remain in place.