As you are likely already aware, we learned yesterday that a significant segment of the workforce of the CDC, particularly including the leadership of NIOSH/NPPTL (directors, chiefs, managers and sector leads), were placed on immediate administrative leave via reduction-in-force notice. ICS generally believes this unexpected large-scale termination to be the initial steps toward ending NIOSH/NPPTL as is has been known/structured and to transfer its regulatory jurisdiction into the AHA (Administration for a Healthy America). The current status of Respirator Approval Program and other NIOSH functions remains unknown, but for the time being, NIOSH and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory  (NPPTL) are without leadership and without sufficient staff to carry out the program as it is documented and has been conducted for last 50+ years. Presently, the Certified Equipment List is still hosted on the NIOSH domain of the CDC website.

We anticipate that it will be a few weeks before the dust settles and we learn what the future holds for U.S. RPE regulation and assessment. ICS is committed to monitoring developments regarding the conformity assessment landscape for respiratory protective equipment during this uncertain time.  ICS will continue to offer accredited testing to the standard test procedures developed and published by NIOSH in addition to a suite of European (EN) test methods and performance requirements related to RPE. As the global PPE industry awaits further information on this front from the US Government, we intend to remain in position to serve as a valuable independent resource for whatever newly designed public and/or private regulatory framework for RPE is enacted in the United States.