NIOSH Phases Out PHE PPE

6/23/22 — Between May and November 2020, NIOSH issued limited, temporary Public Health Emergency (PHE) approvals for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) to address respirator supply shortages during that time. NIOSH is now phasing out these PHE approvals. Obsolete respirators are no longer permitted to be manufactured by the approval holder but can continue to be sold, used, and recognized as NIOSH approved until the approval is revoked or rescinded.

The PHE-approved respirators are easily recognized by the assigned approval number, which includes the designation “PH.” PHE-approved FFRs are marked TC-84A-PHXX and PHE-approved PAPRs are marked TC-21C-PHXX, and both are easily identified on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List. Effective immediately, the 14 active FFR PHE and 5 active PAPR PHE approvals are obsolete. 

Users in workplace settings that require the use of NIOSH-approved respirators may continue to use the obsoleted PHE-approved FFRs and PAPRs until the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. Once the public health emergency ends, the obsoleted approvals will be revoked by NIOSH, meaning they are no longer recognized as NIOSH-approved and cannot be used in workplace settings where the use of NIOSH-approved respirators is required.

For more information, view the NIOSH Respiratory Protective Device Information (CA 2022-1044).