New NIOSH Resources Focus on PPE

Three new training videos and an infographic recently published by NIOSH focus on aspects of donning and doffing personal protective equipment. 

The videos are part of a series intended to help prevent occupational exposures to H5N1, or avian influenza, also known as bird flu. They guide workers through putting on and taking off PPE for medium- and high-exposure settings as well as for milking parlors, where workers are also at high risk of being exposed to H5N1. CDC lists being splashed in the face with raw milk from an infected or potentially infected cow as an example of a high-risk exposure. As of Jan. 9, the agency had confirmed 71 human cases of H5 bird flu and 2 deaths. The virus is responsible for outbreaks in poultry flocks and a multi-state outbreak among dairy cattle that was first identified in March 2024. CDC characterizes the current public health risk as low and states that there is currently no known person-to-person transmission. 

NIOSH’s new infographic (PDF) guides firefighters through a PPE doffing sequence meant to limit off-gassing exposures and reduce the transfer of contaminants to skin after a fire incident. According to the infographic, firefighters should first decontaminate with soap and water before proceeding with additional steps to doff their PPE. The agency cautions that firefighters who are overheating should “prioritize gear removal over decontamination” and urges firefighters to be sure to clean their skin after following the protocol, as the skin can still be exposed to harmful contaminants.

Additional NIOSH publications and products can be found on the agency’s website.