In response to growing concerns regarding potential homeland terrorist attacks using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a special standard for the protection of emergency workers in this high-threat environment. NIOSH released this standard on 12/28/01 and invited suppliers to submit products for approval in late January 2002.

The NIOSH focus in the initial phase is on evaluating self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA): SCBA provide the highest level of protection, are in common use by the first responder community and remain the only respirator design approved for use in IDLH (immediately dangerous to life and health) environments.

NIOSH specified two live agent tests to represent the most challenging hazard exposures: Mustard (HD), a corrosive blistering agent, and Sarin (GB), a highly invasive nerve agent. NIOSH based the test exposure concentrations for both agents upon reasonable peak dispersal models, while basing the allowable concentrations inside the SCBA mask upon established human toxicological data.

By any measure, the NIOSH CBRN standard is a very challenging test: the protection factor requirements are very high, and agents like Sarin will invade any crack or crevice in an SCBA design. Mustard poses the added danger of attacking polymers and other organic materials, some of which are commonly used in respirator designs. On top of that, NIOSH requires not one test with each agent, but three—just to make sure any SCBA that passes really passes.

Since January, some SCBA manufacturers have submitted test articles, while some others have not. We were not the first to submit, but as of March 15, 2002, Interspiro is the only one that has passed all live agent tests.

That news hasn’t been released by NIOSH yet, but we wanted to get the word out early, because so many people are waiting for CBRN results.

We encourage you to visit the NIOSH site and watch for the official listing of NIOSH "CBRN Approved" SCBAs over the next weeks and months. As you look to select new SCBAs for your department, and yourself, keep the CBRN approvals in mind: Why would anyone buy a non-CBRN SCBA, when there are better, more capable SCBA available? Please contact our local distributor for more information, or contact us directly for more information: