[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28601-28602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11694]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Announcement of an Opportunity for Manufacturers and Designers of 
Closed Circuit Escape Respirators To Participate in Performance Testing 
Within a Correlation Test Program Offered by the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health

AGENCY: The 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 purpose of this notice is to announce a Correlation Test 
Program offered by NIOSH through its National Personal Protective 
Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) and provide information on how interested 
parties can obtain the Standard Test Procedures. The Correlation Test 
Program is the result of HHS publishing a final rule (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-03-08/pdf/2012-4691.pdf), Approval Tests 
and Standards for Closed-Circuit Escape Respirators (CCERs) on March 
8th 2012. This final rule revised and updated the requirements for 
testing and certification of CCERs and introduced the use of an 
Automated Breathing and Metabolic Simulator to be used during testing 
as part of the approval process.
    The Correlation Testing Program will consist of two tests:
     Performance Tests of As-Received and Environmentally 
Treated Closed-Circuit Respirators; and
     Capacity Tests of As-Received and Environmentally Treated 
Closed-Circuit Escape Respirators.
    The Standard Test Procedures for the Correlation Testing Program, 
and for the other CCER performance requirements, are available from 
NIOSH for review. These procedures are subject to modification as they 
are incorporated into the certification program.
    All correlation testing conducted in this program will be done free 
of charge. This program was designed to enable potential CCER 
applicants to correlate or calibrate their own automated breathing and 
metabolic simulator to the automated breathing and metabolic simulator 
that will be used by NPPTL as part of the CCER approval process.
    NPPTL will not make any performance-related judgments as to the 
ability of any tested units meeting the new approval requirements. Data 
obtained from testing will be provided only to the applicant. Testing 
results may be provided to the public; however, product or applicant 
identity will not be disclosed. Test results from the Correlation Test 
Program are not applicable as pre-test data for a respirator approval 
application.

DATES: The CCER Correlation Test Program shall be in effect until 
November 15, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information concerning 
the application requirements and process, Jeff Peterson, telephone 
(412) 386-4018, email JPeterson@cdc.gov. For information concerning 
details and copies of the Standard Test Procedures, Tim Rehak, 
telephone (412) 386-6866, email TRehak@cdc.gov.


[[Page 28602]]


    Dated: May 9, 2012.
John Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-11694 Filed 5-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P