Partnership Opportunity To Determine the Fit of Air Purifying Filtering Facepiece Respirators Worn Over Beard Bands for Workers With Facial Hair, 60426-60427 [2024-16351]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 143 / Thursday, July 25, 2024 / Notices
the Secretary by email at Secretary@
fmc.gov, or by mail, Federal Maritime
Commission, 800 North Capitol Street,
Washington, DC 20573. Comments will
be most helpful to the Commission if
received within 12 days of the date this
notice appears in the Federal Register,
and the Commission requests that
comments be submitted within 7 days
on agreements that request expedited
review. Copies of agreements are
available through the Commission’s
website (www.fmc.gov) or by contacting
the Office of Agreements at (202) 523–
5793 or tradeanalysis@fmc.gov.
Agreement No.: 012108–009.
Agreement Name: World Liner Data
Agreement.
Parties: Maersk A/S; CMA CGM S.A.;
COSCO SHIPPING Lines Co., Ltd.;
Hapag-Lloyd AG; Mediterranean
Shipping Company S.A.; Orient
Overseas Container Line Ltd.; Yang
Ming Marine Transport Corp.; HMM
Company Limited; Evergreen Line Joint
Service Agreement; ZIM Integrated
Shipping Services Limited; Swire
Shipping Pte. Ltd.; Ocean Network
Express Pte. Ltd.; Independent
Container Line Ltd.; ANL Singapore
PTE LTD; APL CO. PTE. LTD.
Filing Party: Wayne Rohde; Cozen
O’Connor.
Synopsis: The amendment updates
the membership of the agreement. More
specifically, it deletes Hamburg
Südamerikanische
Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft KG, Nile
Dutch Africa Line B.V., and Westwood
Shipping Lines as parties to the
agreement. It adds Yang Ming Marine
Transport Corp., Swire Shipping Pte.
Ltd., and Ocean Network Express Pte.
Ltd. as parties. It also updates the
addresses of COSCO Shipping Lines
Co., Ltd. and Mediterranean Shipping
Company S.A.
Proposed Effective Date: 8/30/2024.
Location: https://www2.fmc.gov/
FMC.Agreements.Web/Public/
AgreementHistory/362.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Dated: July 19, 2024.
Alanna Beck,
Federal Register Alternate Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–16307 Filed 7–24–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6730–02–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:41 Jul 24, 2024
Jkt 262001
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Partnership Opportunity To Determine
the Fit of Air Purifying Filtering
Facepiece Respirators Worn Over
Beard Bands for Workers With Facial
Hair
National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC),
announces the opportunity for
respirator manufacturers, NIOSH
approval holders, and beard band
manufacturers to participate, through a
collaborative agreement, in a project
titled ‘‘Fit Testing of Respirators on
Those Wearing Beard Bands’’ to
determine how well respirators provide
protection to workers with facial hair
when using a beard band.
DATES: Interested parties must submit a
letter of intent, electronically or written,
by September 23, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your letter of intent
to Jonisha Pollard, NIOSH National
Personal Protective Technology
Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or by email to
JNI3@cdc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jonisha Pollard, NIOSH National
Personal Protective Technology
Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15236, 412–386–5220
(not a toll-free number), JNI3@cdc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additional Information: The National
Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) is seeking to identify
respirator manufacturers, NIOSH
approval holders, and beard band
manufacturers who are interested in
collaborating with NIOSH to conduct fit
testing of NIOSH Approved® filtering
facepiece respirators and particulateonly elastomeric half mask respirators
for users having facial hair and using an
elastic band (beard band) to secure their
facial hair and provide a clean, smooth
sealing surface for their respirator as
part of their personal protective
equipment (PPE).
This research endeavor grew from the
need to advance equal access to
employment and support worker
populations with facial hair who need
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00078
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
respiratory protection. Individual fit
testing of tight-fitting respirators is a
component of Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA)
respiratory protection programs in
workplaces to better ensure that the
respirator selected and worn can
achieve the expected fit factor (provide
the expected level of protection). The
OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard
(29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A)) prohibits
employees from wearing respirators
with tight-fitting facepieces if there is
any hair growth between the skin and
facepiece sealing surface. Fit testing is
not possible without a tight seal of the
respirator to the face. Per the OSHA
Respiratory Protection Standard, an
OSHA-compliant fit test determines the
level of tightness for this class of
respirators to achieve a fit factor of 100
which is 10 times the assigned
protection factor (APF) for this class of
respirator (i.e., APF of half facepiece
respirator is 10). Organizations, interest
groups, and entities representing
workers with facial hair who cannot
shave because of religious, cultural,
medical, or other reasons approached
NIOSH to conduct research on fit
effectiveness of the respiratory
protective device when a beard band is
used to improve the seal of the
respirator with the wearer’s face.
This project aims to determine the fit
of respirators when worn over beard
bands for workers with facial hair using
a government–private partnership
development model. This study may
help increase respiratory protective
devices available to this population of
wearers and advance national interests
by expanding respirator use to workers
with beards. This includes workers in
vital fields such as healthcare and
public safety.
Collaborative efforts may be made via
a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA)
under the authority of the Federal
Technology Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C.
3710a, or another appropriate
agreement. No Federal funds will be
provided to partners whose equipment
is utilized under this project.
NIOSH may select one or more
partnering candidates using the
following criteria:
1. For partners interested in products,
materials, or textiles to be used as a
beard band, the product/material/textile
should have the ability to:
a. Be secured at the top of the head
(e.g., tied or hook-and-loop fasteners;
b. Lay taut and flat across the skin
without wrinkles;
c. Be cut (lengthwise and widthwise)
and tailored to fit various facial
geometries; and
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
25JYN1
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 143 / Thursday, July 25, 2024 / Notices
d. Be cleaned and decontaminated
using common cleaning agents such as
soap and water or cleaning wipes.
2. For partners interested in
respirators, the respirator should have:
a. Current NIOSH approval for a
filtering facepiece respirator,
elastomeric half mask respirator offering
particulate protection, or full facepiece
respirators offering particulate
protections;
b. Two strap head suspension with
one strap that goes on the head of the
wearer and the other on the neck. Novel
head suspensions will not be accepted;
and
c. Ability to fit multiple facial sizes.
3. For partners interested in
participating in the study, participants
must be able to travel to the Pittsburgh
or Morgantown area to participate in the
study at their own cost.
This announcement does not obligate
HHS, CDC, or NIOSH to enter into a
contractual or collaborative agreement
with any respondents.
Background: The 2019 COVID–19
outbreak highlighted the ongoing need
for effective respiratory protective
devices for workers especially in
healthcare. Fit testing of tight fitting
respirators is a component of OSHA
respiratory protection programs in
workplaces. Respirators should be fit
tested using any of the OSHA approved
fit test methods before being used in
workplaces. The OSHA Respiratory
Protection standard, 29 CFR
1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A), states that tightfitting respirators shall not be worn
when facial hair comes between the
sealing surface of the facepiece and the
face or that interferes with valve
function. In this project, an underrespirator cover (beard band) on people
with facial hair will be evaluated. In the
first phase of this study, respirator fit
will be evaluated using the NIOSH
Approved® filtering facepiece
respirators selected to participate in the
study when worn on persons with facial
hair. Then respirator fit will be
determined for the same individuals
wearing a beard band under the
respirator.
Follow-on phases of this study may
include other types of tight-fitting
respirators including particulate-only
elastomeric half mask respirators
(EHMRs) or full facepiece respirators.
This study may also evaluate the
Simulated Workplace Protection Factor
(SWPF) afforded by these respirators on
users with facial hair. The SWPF refers
to the ratio of the concentration of the
contaminant in the ambient air to that
inside a respirator under conditions that
simulate the work environment or
various work activities.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:41 Jul 24, 2024
Jkt 262001
This project seeks to support the use
of filtering facepiece respirators, EHMRs
with particulate protections, or full
facepiece elastomeric respirators for
workers with facial hair. Results of this
project may be used by NIOSH approval
holders to seek NIOSH approval for the
use of beard bands as part of an
approved respirator configuration. The
study will provide data useful to
support OSHA and NIOSH policy
regarding the appropriateness of using
beard bands with filtering facepiece
respirators and particulate EHMRs or
full facepiece respirators. This study
may lead to increased means for
employers to conform with the OSHA
respiratory protection requirements and
possibly increase compliance with
respiratory protection guidelines and
standards among bearded workers in
various industries.
John J. Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Department of Health and
Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024–16351 Filed 7–24–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163–18–P
60427
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected, and the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology to
minimize the information collection
burden.
Comments on the collection(s) of
information must be received by the
OMB desk officer by August 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting
‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open
for Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function.
To obtain copies of a supporting
statement and any related forms for the
proposed collection(s) summarized in
this notice, please access the CMS PRA
website by copying and pasting the
following web address into your web
browser: https://www.cms.gov/
Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/
PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRAListing.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifiers: CMS–10573]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, Health and Human
Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing
an opportunity for the public to
comment on CMS’ intention to collect
information from the public. Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each proposed
extension or reinstatement of an existing
collection of information, and to allow
a second opportunity for public
comment on the notice. Interested
persons are invited to send comments
regarding the burden estimate or any
other aspect of this collection of
information, including the necessity and
utility of the proposed information
collection for the proper performance of
the agency’s functions, the accuracy of
the estimated burden, ways to enhance
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
William Parham at (410) 786–4669.
Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), federal agencies
must obtain approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for each
collection of information they conduct
or sponsor. The term ‘‘collection of
information’’ is defined in 44 U.S.C.
3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and
includes agency requests or
requirements that members of the public
submit reports, keep records, or provide
information to a third party. Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies
to publish a 30-day notice in the
Federal Register concerning each
proposed collection of information,
including each proposed extension or
reinstatement of an existing collection
of information, before submitting the
collection to OMB for approval. To
comply with this requirement, CMS is
publishing this notice that summarizes
the following proposed collection(s) of
information for public comment:
1. Type of Information Collection
Request: Revision of a currently
approved collection; Title of
Information Collection: Reform of
Requirements for Long-Term Care
Facilities; Use: The purpose of this
package is to request Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
approval of the collection of information
requirements for the requirements of
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
25JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60426-60427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16351]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Partnership Opportunity To Determine the Fit of Air Purifying
Filtering Facepiece Respirators Worn Over Beard Bands for Workers With
Facial Hair
AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
announces the opportunity for respirator manufacturers, NIOSH approval
holders, and beard band manufacturers to participate, through a
collaborative agreement, in a project titled ``Fit Testing of
Respirators on Those Wearing Beard Bands'' to determine how well
respirators provide protection to workers with facial hair when using a
beard band.
DATES: Interested parties must submit a letter of intent,
electronically or written, by September 23, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your letter of intent to Jonisha Pollard, NIOSH
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill
Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or by email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonisha Pollard, NIOSH National
Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15236, 412-386-5220 (not a toll-free number),
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additional Information: The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking to identify respirator
manufacturers, NIOSH approval holders, and beard band manufacturers who
are interested in collaborating with NIOSH to conduct fit testing of
NIOSH Approved[supreg] filtering facepiece respirators and particulate-
only elastomeric half mask respirators for users having facial hair and
using an elastic band (beard band) to secure their facial hair and
provide a clean, smooth sealing surface for their respirator as part of
their personal protective equipment (PPE).
This research endeavor grew from the need to advance equal access
to employment and support worker populations with facial hair who need
respiratory protection. Individual fit testing of tight-fitting
respirators is a component of Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) respiratory protection programs in workplaces to
better ensure that the respirator selected and worn can achieve the
expected fit factor (provide the expected level of protection). The
OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A))
prohibits employees from wearing respirators with tight-fitting
facepieces if there is any hair growth between the skin and facepiece
sealing surface. Fit testing is not possible without a tight seal of
the respirator to the face. Per the OSHA Respiratory Protection
Standard, an OSHA-compliant fit test determines the level of tightness
for this class of respirators to achieve a fit factor of 100 which is
10 times the assigned protection factor (APF) for this class of
respirator (i.e., APF of half facepiece respirator is 10).
Organizations, interest groups, and entities representing workers with
facial hair who cannot shave because of religious, cultural, medical,
or other reasons approached NIOSH to conduct research on fit
effectiveness of the respiratory protective device when a beard band is
used to improve the seal of the respirator with the wearer's face.
This project aims to determine the fit of respirators when worn
over beard bands for workers with facial hair using a government-
private partnership development model. This study may help increase
respiratory protective devices available to this population of wearers
and advance national interests by expanding respirator use to workers
with beards. This includes workers in vital fields such as healthcare
and public safety.
Collaborative efforts may be made via a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) under the authority of the Federal
Technology Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. 3710a, or another appropriate
agreement. No Federal funds will be provided to partners whose
equipment is utilized under this project.
NIOSH may select one or more partnering candidates using the
following criteria:
1. For partners interested in products, materials, or textiles to
be used as a beard band, the product/material/textile should have the
ability to:
a. Be secured at the top of the head (e.g., tied or hook-and-loop
fasteners;
b. Lay taut and flat across the skin without wrinkles;
c. Be cut (lengthwise and widthwise) and tailored to fit various
facial geometries; and
[[Page 60427]]
d. Be cleaned and decontaminated using common cleaning agents such
as soap and water or cleaning wipes.
2. For partners interested in respirators, the respirator should
have:
a. Current NIOSH approval for a filtering facepiece respirator,
elastomeric half mask respirator offering particulate protection, or
full facepiece respirators offering particulate protections;
b. Two strap head suspension with one strap that goes on the head
of the wearer and the other on the neck. Novel head suspensions will
not be accepted; and
c. Ability to fit multiple facial sizes.
3. For partners interested in participating in the study,
participants must be able to travel to the Pittsburgh or Morgantown
area to participate in the study at their own cost.
This announcement does not obligate HHS, CDC, or NIOSH to enter
into a contractual or collaborative agreement with any respondents.
Background: The 2019 COVID-19 outbreak highlighted the ongoing need
for effective respiratory protective devices for workers especially in
healthcare. Fit testing of tight fitting respirators is a component of
OSHA respiratory protection programs in workplaces. Respirators should
be fit tested using any of the OSHA approved fit test methods before
being used in workplaces. The OSHA Respiratory Protection standard, 29
CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A), states that tight-fitting respirators shall
not be worn when facial hair comes between the sealing surface of the
facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function. In this
project, an under-respirator cover (beard band) on people with facial
hair will be evaluated. In the first phase of this study, respirator
fit will be evaluated using the NIOSH Approved[supreg] filtering
facepiece respirators selected to participate in the study when worn on
persons with facial hair. Then respirator fit will be determined for
the same individuals wearing a beard band under the respirator.
Follow-on phases of this study may include other types of tight-
fitting respirators including particulate-only elastomeric half mask
respirators (EHMRs) or full facepiece respirators.
This study may also evaluate the Simulated Workplace Protection
Factor (SWPF) afforded by these respirators on users with facial hair.
The SWPF refers to the ratio of the concentration of the contaminant in
the ambient air to that inside a respirator under conditions that
simulate the work environment or various work activities.
This project seeks to support the use of filtering facepiece
respirators, EHMRs with particulate protections, or full facepiece
elastomeric respirators for workers with facial hair. Results of this
project may be used by NIOSH approval holders to seek NIOSH approval
for the use of beard bands as part of an approved respirator
configuration. The study will provide data useful to support OSHA and
NIOSH policy regarding the appropriateness of using beard bands with
filtering facepiece respirators and particulate EHMRs or full facepiece
respirators. This study may lead to increased means for employers to
conform with the OSHA respiratory protection requirements and possibly
increase compliance with respiratory protection guidelines and
standards among bearded workers in various industries.
John J. Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and
Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-16351 Filed 7-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
