The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised there are respirators that are falsely being marketed and sold as NIOSH-approved.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has advised that there are counterfeit respirators and/or misrepresentations of NIOSH approval on some respirators that you should be aware of before purchasing or using them.
NIOSH lists these as indicators that a respirator may be counterfeit:
- No markings at all on the filtering facepiece respirator
- No approval (TC) number on filtering facepiece respirator or headband
- No NIOSH markings
- NIOSH spelled incorrectly
- Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g., sequins)
- Claims for approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)
- Filtering facepiece respirator has ear loops instead of headbands
NIOSH will post updates to their website to alert users, purchasers, and manufacturers of newly determined counterfeit respirators sold as NIOSH-approved. For additional information and a list of known counterfeit respirators, go to: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp.html
You can verify the approval number on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List (CEL) or the NIOSH Trusted-Source page to determine if the respirator has been approved by NIOSH.
Nationwide Loss Control Services has a number of resources designed to help reduce your risk during the COVID-19 pandemic at MyLossControlServices.com, including the following articles:
- Back to Business: Returning Workers in Unusual Times
- Reopening a Business After COVID-19: Staff and Client Safety
- Prepare Your Facility for Reopening After a COVID-19 Closure