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In March 2012, HHS published a final rule establishing new standards for the certification of closed-circuit escape respirators (CCERs) by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new standards were designed to take effect over a three-year transition period. HHS has determined that extending the concluding date for the transition is necessary to allow sufficient time for respirator manufacturers to meet the demands of the mining, maritime, railroad, and other industries. Pursuant to this interim final rule, NIOSH may authorize extensions to manufacturers on a category basis for six-months after the date of the first NIOSH approval of a respirator model under each of the four categories of currently-approved CCER types.