Devices that provide respiratory protection must be certified by which organization?

Devices that provide respiratory protection must be certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, commonly referred to as NIOSH. This organization is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. Part of its mandate includes evaluating and certifying respiratory protection devices to ensure they meet rigorous safety and performance standards.

NIOSH approval indicates that a respirator has undergone testing to confirm its effectiveness in filtering out harmful substances from the air, which is crucial for worker safety in environments where harmful chemicals, airborne pathogens, or particulates are present. This certification process involves a thorough review of a respirator’s design and performance, ensuring that it will function properly in real-world conditions.

While other organizations listed in the options play important roles in occupational health and safety, they do not specifically focus on the certification of respiratory protection devices. For instance, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) develops consensus standards but does not certify products directly. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provides regulations but does not certify products itself, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts research and provides guidelines rather than certifying equipment. Therefore, the link between NIOSH and the certification of respiratory protection devices is crucial for ensuring that