How the Certified Equipment List Works

At a glance

  • The Certified Equipment List (CEL) is the official listing of all NIOSH Approved® respirators.
  • Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ the CEL using the approval number, quick search, or advanced search tabs.
Individual searching computer with search bar overtop image

General tips

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GIF of a computer with a changing screen that says how the CEL can help users search for NIOSH Approved respirators
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵing for NIOSH Approved respirators in the CEL.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵing the CEL

When searching the , users can

  • Modify the maximum number of records per page of results. The default is 50 results per page.
  • Select multiple protections. The CEL only returns results corresponding with all the checkboxes.
  • Select multiple criteria in the Manufacturers, Private Labels, or CBRN Manufacturers' drop-down lists by holding down the Control key.
    • Remove selections from a drop-down list by selecting the blank line at the top of the list.

Results page

Clicking the value in the Approval column will load the approval's "Details" page (shown below). Once on the "Details" page, you can click on the manufacturer's name in the Manufacturer row to load their contact information.

CEL search results with arrow pointing to the number in the Approval column that leads to the approval's detail page.
CEL search results page highlighting the unique four-digit code in approval number in the Approval column.

Clicking the value in the Components column will load the components for selected approval. The Components column will only appear for CBRN respirators.

CEL search results. Arrow points to the number in the Components column of a list of components for selected approval.
CEL search results page highlighting number in the Components column.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵing by approval number

All NIOSH Approved respirators have a testing and certification (TC) approval number (e.g., TC 84A-XXXX). The NIOSH approval label, which is found on or in the respirator packaging indicates the TC approval number and protection type.

Users can search the CEL by the TC approval number. The entry should be formatted with the approval code, followed by a dash and the 4 digits following the code (e.g., 84A-XXXX).

Use a semi-colon between TC numbers to search multiple approval numbers at one time.

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Image of the TC Approval Number tab on the CEL
CEL TC Approval Number tab

If an approval number search has no results that means it is not a valid approval number, and the product is not approved by NIOSH. Use the advanced search tab to search for obsolete approvals.A

Quick search

The quick search tab contains customized links for certain respirator types and allows users to search by certain characteristics of respirators. These characteristics include

  • Schedule. The approval schedule uses numbers and a letter to indicate the set of standards applicable to a specific respirator type. NIOSH uses the following designations:
  • Manufacturer or brand
    • Note: Private label assignees will not show up in this list. Use the advanced search tab described below to search for private labels.
  • Facepiece type
    • The CEL contains .
  • Protections
    • Select multiple chemicals, particulates, or other hazards.

Additionally, users can search for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) respirators by manufacturer, type, or both. They can select multiple types. The returned results will match at least one of the types.

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Image of the quick search tab on the CEL
CEL quick search tab.

Advanced search

Use the advanced search tab to search by more than one criterion (e.g., schedule, facepiece type). This tab allows shows a list of approvals that match the selected criteria. For example, users can select multiple gas and vapor protections and a manufacturer and see the respirators manufactured by that company that protect against the gas and vapors they picked.

The advanced search tab also allows users to search for

  • Supplied-air respirators by type
  • Self-contained breathing apparatus by type and use

The tab has a private label search. Private labeled products are labeled as belonging to a company that is not the manufacturer. Private labeled products will carry the same approval number that was issued to the manufacturer.

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Image of the advanced search tab on the CEL
CEL advanced search tab.
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Content Source:
; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  1. Obsoleted 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.