A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize a virtual public workshop to examine personal protective equipment (PPE) needs and best practices to protect workers in high-risk U.S. farm settings and control Influenza A (H5N1) transmission between livestock and humans. This workshop will provide the opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas among interested and impacted parties--including technical experts, policy makers, livestock industry leaders and farm owners, and PPE users in farm settings (e.g., farmworkers, veterinarians).

The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions to:

Examine the current state of knowledge on H5N1 transmission to humans (modes and high-risk activities) and implications for PPE use in high-risk farm settings, including the role of PPE relative to other kinds of controls (e.g., engineering, administrative);
Examine existing recommendations, guidance, and best practices relating to use of PPE in high-risk farm settings and feasibility of their implementation, as well as approaches to better understand farmworker needs and overcome barriers to PPE use;
Explore the potential alternatives to NIOSH-approved respirators in high-risk farm settings and implications for respiratory protection programs;
Consider how novel technologies and approaches, including those designed to improve PPE selection, fit, and use, could enhance protection provided by PPE to farmworkers potentially exposed to H5N1 and needs and opportunities related to the evaluation of such technologies;
Explore health communication, education, and training needs and approaches to improve the reach and accessibility of information regarding the importance of and best practices for PPE use for H5N1 in high-risk farm settings;
Highlight key research needs to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of PPE when used in high-risk farm settings to protect workers and control the spread of H5N1.