{"abstract":"OSHA is approving two additional quantitative fit testing protocols for inclusion in appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard. These protocols are: The modified ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter (CNC) quantitative fit testing protocol for full-facepiece and half-mask elastomeric respirators and the modified ambient aerosol CNC quantitative fit testing protocol for filtering facepiece respirators. The protocols apply to employers in general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry. Both protocols are abbreviated variations of the original OSHA-approved ambient aerosol CNC quantitative fit testing protocol (often referred to as the PortaCount[supreg] protocol), but differ from the test by the exercise sets, exercise duration, and sampling sequence. These protocols will serve as alternatives to the four existing quantitative fit testing protocols already listed in appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard and will maintain safety and health protections for workers while providing additional flexibility and reducing compliance burdens.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","id":386,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/occupational-safety-and-health-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/386","parent_id":271,"slug":"occupational-safety-and-health-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2019/09/26/2019-20686.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":1910,"title":29}],"citation":"84 FR 50739","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"The final rule becomes effective on September 26, 2019.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. OSHA-2015-0015"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2019-20686","effective_on":"2019-09-26","end_page":50756,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2019/09/26/2019-20686.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/26/2019-20686/additional-ambient-aerosol-cnc-quantitative-fit-testing-protocols-respiratory-protection-standard","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2019-20686?publication_date=2019-09-26","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2019-09-26/2019-20686/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":18,"page_views":{"count":5437,"last_updated":"2026-09-21 16:15:06 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-09-26/pdf/2019-20686.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-20686.pdf?1569415516","publication_date":"2019-09-26","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2019/09/26/2019-20686.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1218-AC94":{"issue":"201904","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC94/quantitative-fit-testing-protocol-amendment-to-the-final-rule-on-respiratory-protection-","title":"Quantitative Fit Testing Protocol: Amendment to the Final Rule on Respiratory Protection ","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201904&RIN=1218-AC94&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1218-AC94"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Vo E, Zhuang Z, Horvatin M, Liu Y, He X, Rengasamy S. Respirator performance against nanoparticles under simulated workplace activities. Annals Of Occupational Hygiene. 2015 Jul 15;59(8):1012-21.","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0051"},{"title":"Morawska L, Ayoko GA, Bae GN, Buonanno G, Chao CY, Clifford S, Fu SC, Hänninen O, He C, Isaxon C, Mazaheri M. Airborne particles in indoor environment of homes, schools, offices and aged care facilities: The main routes of exposure. Environment internatio","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0050"},{"title":"TSI Incorporated.  PORTACOUNT® PRO 8030 AND PORTACOUNT® PRO+ 8038 RESPIRATOR FIT TESTERS OPERATION AND SERVICE MANUAL, P/N 6001868, REVISION P\nMARCH 2015","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0049"},{"title":"Census Bureau (2017). 2015 County Business Patterns.","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0048"},{"title":"TSI. Letter submitted to OSHA.  Response to public comments (Gregory M. Olson, Jr) - May 10, 2017.","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0047"},{"title":"[OSHA] Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  Teleconference between OSHA, SOL, and TSI Incorporated Personnel - April 20, 2018","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0046"},{"title":"[NIOSH] National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (September 2003). Respirator Usage in Private Sector Firms, 2001. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0045"},{"title":"[BLS] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (March 17, 2017). News Release: Employer Costs for Employee Compensation - December 2016.  USDL-17-0321","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0044"},{"title":"[BLS] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (March 31, 2017). News Release: Occupational Employment and Wages - May 2016. USDL-17-0376.","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0043"},{"title":"[BLS] Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, December 2014.  http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ecec_03112015 [See Table A].","document_id":"OSHA-2015-0015-0014"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC94/quantitative-fit-testing-protocol-amendment-to-the-final-rule-on-respiratory-protection-","title":"Quantitative Fit Testing Protocol: Amendment to the Final Rule on Respiratory Protection "},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=OSHA-2015-0015","supporting_documents_count":22,"docket_id":"OSHA-2015-0015","regulation_id_number":"1218-AC94","title":"Additional PortaCount® Quantitative Fit Testing Protocols: Amendment to Respiratory Protection Standard","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2019-09-29T03:30:08Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":50739,"subtype":null,"title":"Additional Ambient Aerosol CNC Quantitative Fit Testing Protocols: Respiratory Protection Standard","toc_doc":"Additional Ambient Aerosol Condensation Nuclei Counter Quantitative Fit Testing Protocols","toc_subject":"Respiratory Protection Standard:","topics":["Hazardous substances","Health","Occupational safety and health"],"type":"Rule","volume":84}