Building PPE Testing Capacity in Canada
May 20, 2021
The Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) is pleased to have liaised with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in facilitating a forum for CCIL members who are engaged in testing the safety and effectiveness of respiratory PPE. Filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) such as PFE95, N95, and surgical
face masks are important examples of personal protective equipment (PPE) used to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The NRC worked proactively to assure the safety and effectiveness of PPE in Canada by lending its expertise to the development of testing capability, providing testing services for PPE and decontamination equipment, and funding research and development for innovative, made-in-Canada solutions to keep Canadians safe. As part of the NRC’s COVID-19 response, the NRC’s Metrology Research Centre developed capabilities to test particulate filtration efficiency (PFE) of respiratory PPE based on internationally recognised standards.
CCIL would like to extend its appreciation to the NRC for helping shape the PPE landscape in Canada. This testing was important to determine whether this critical PPE met performance requirements in order to protect the wearer, as well as support the development of an emerging Canadian PPE industry.
Since then, multiple laboratories in Canada have developed testing capabilities, some of them accredited, or in the process of being accredited, by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and other accreditation bodies.
“We are proud to have engaged with NRC in building PPE testing capacity in Canada. This is a perfect example of how research & development and innovation organizations like the NRC, along with the testing community, can work together to benefit all Canadians,” said CCIL President Trevor Gluck.
Stakeholders can refer to the SCC directory of accredited laboratories to find those offering Particulate Filtration Efficiency testing: (https://www.scc.ca/search/laboratories)
For further information about CCIL, click here.
To arrange an interview, contact:
Megan Stephens
416-777-0368
megan@prpost.ca
