NIOSH Requests Input on Healthcare Workers Action Plan

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests input and comment on the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Healthcare Workers (HCW) Action Plan, NIOSH Docket Number NIOSH-129. This action plan was prepared in response to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations contained in a report entitled Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic: PPE for Healthcare Workers, 2008.

In 2006, the IOM Committee on Personal Protective Equipment (COPPE) determined that there is an urgent need to address the lack of preparedness regarding effective PPE for use in an influenza pandemic. Subsequently, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examine issues regarding PPE for healthcare workers in the event of pandemic influenza. The IOM committee was charged with examining research directions, certification and the establishment of standards, and risk assessment issues specific to personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during an influenza pandemic.

The IOM provided three overarching conclusions (Understand Influenza Transmission, Commit to Worker Safety and Appropriate Use of PPE, Innovate and Strengthen PPE Design, Testing, and Certification) and a series of recommendations for maximizing the opportunity to incorporate PPE into influenza pandemic research. The committee also provided recommendations regarding future research opportunities.

The current action plan (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/default.html) is the first phase of an ongoing effort to effectively respond to the report and solicit stakeholder input for a more refined approach. The plan is structured to align with the recommendations outlined in the IOM report. Each recommendation identifies current activities in progress within the NIOSH Personal Protective Technology (PPT) Program and subsequent activities which should be considered for both near term and long term implementation. Associated references and weblinks are provided for ongoing activities where available. Each text description is accompanied by a flow chart which provides a pictorial representation of the information described in the associated text. Associated Gantt Charts identifying anticipated timelines for conducting the activities in response to each recommendation follow the flow charts. The PPT Program ongoing and potential future activities are highlighted in yellow. Note that Recommendation #1 in the IOM Report reaches beyond the PPT Program. NIOSH is currently developing additional plans to provide a comprehensive response to that recommendation.

The PPT Program Action Plan activities identified for near term implementation will be considered within the current budget constraints of the PPT Program during the fiscal year 2009 strategic planning process.

Timeline to finalize the action plan is described as follows:

• Detailed draft action plan posted to NPPTL website (February 25 2008)
• Open docket to solicit comments for 30 days (Feb 25 - April 1 2008)
• Revise action plan based on comments received (May 2008)

The final action plan will be used to prioritize and select future NPPTL research projects including funding, staffing, and upgrading laboratory capabilities.

Comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2008.

To submit comments regarding this action plan, please visit NPPTL's homepage (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/default.html) and follow the link under spotlights that references docket #129.