Category: Respirators
How to Protect Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke
As fires continue in the Los Angeles area, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are providing employers, workers, and the general public information to help stay protected from wildfire smoke. For those directly Read More >
Posted on byThe NIOSH Respirator Fit Evaluation Challenge
Millions of workers across the United States rely on tight-fitting respirators to keep them safe on the job. These workers have a wide variability in facial features and dimensions, making it challenging to identify specific respirator models and sizes that will provide a proper fit. If a respirator does not properly fit, forming a tight Read More >
Posted on byBeards and Respirators: Navigating No Shave November Safely
Introduction No Shave November is a great opportunity to grow out your beard for a good cause. But if you rely on a tight-fitting respirator for work, that extra facial hair could pose a safety concern. Respirators protect workers from harmful particles, but their effectiveness depends on forming a tight seal against your skin. So, Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentTips for Managing Personal Protective Equipment in Your Stockpile: Respirator Selection and Purchase
Happy Respiratory Protection Week 2024! Another year provides another opportunity to highlight resources to support informed workplace respiratory protection practices. NIOSH has been at the forefront of this effort for decades, testing and approving respirators used in U.S. occupational settings while also striving to provide the science necessary to inform complex respiratory protection decisions. Respiratory Read More >
Posted on byProviding Clarity Regarding the Regulation of Respirators Used in Health Care Settings
A Discussion Paper, Streamlining Regulatory Oversight of Respirators Used in Health Care Settings will Improve Worker Protection, was recently published in the National Academy of Medicine’s NAM Perspectives journal by respiratory experts outside of the federal government. This paper highlights continued confusion amongst interested parties including health care organizations and manufacturers seeking approval regarding Read More >
Posted on by 12 CommentsFinding the Right Fit—Is Your Respirator “The One”?
Finding the right fit is one of the most important parts of a relationship. You don’t just grab any old fish from the sea that swims by and hope for the best. First, it’s necessary to test the waters and ensure you’re simpatico before settling on a partner. It’s Valentine’s Day, and yes, this advice Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentRespiratory Protection Week 2023: Filling in the Gaps
We’re back for another Respiratory Protection Week! This year we’re shining some light on our Respirator Approval Program’s efforts to fill in gaps related to respiratory protection and answering some of your remaining questions about NIOSH Approved® respirators. As you may know, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal institute Read More >
Posted on byProtecting Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke
The Canadian wildfires highlight the hazard of wildfire smoke, an issue faced annually by many communities across the United States. In this blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsThe Evolution of Elastomeric Half-Mask Respirators and Exhalation Valves
Interest in using elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs) as an alternative to N95®* filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) in healthcare settings is growing because of their ability to be cleaned, disinfected, and reused. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the high demand for N95 FFRs caused national supply shortages, leading organizations to rely on other Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsRespiratory Protection Week 2022: Staying Committed to Proper Respiratory Protection Practices
Happy Respiratory Protection Week! Our commitment to respiratory protection runs deep for us here at NIOSH. In fact, we’ve been dedicating an entire day or week to promoting proper respiratory protection practices since 2012. Our goal since the beginning has always been to highlight the importance of respiratory protection in the workplace and provide resources Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsEducation and Training Concerning Masks and Respirators for Construction Workers
Various types of masks and respirators are receiving increased attention in many workplaces, including on construction sites. Use of masks is part of a multi-layered prevention strategy for COVID-19, and many workplaces require or encourage employees to wear them. Masks are designed to cover a person’s mouth and nose to help contain large droplets or Read More >
Posted on byN95 Love – Staying True to the NIOSH Approval
Over the years, we’ve made use of the Valentine’s Day observance to offer a lot of respirator relationship advice. We’ve talked about the importance of high standards, compatibility, when to break up, and when to put more effort into maintaining your relationship. Dear Abby has nothing on us when it comes to knowing how to Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsRelease of National Academies Consensus Study Report on Protecting Workers and the Public From Inhalation Hazards
On February 10,2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a Consensus Study Report titled, Frameworks for Protecting Workers and the Public from Inhalation Hazards. Federal partners, NIOSH, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of State, as well as the CDC Foundation, commissioned this report to address the evolving respiratory protection Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWho Does What? The Roles of NIOSH, OSHA, and the FDA in Respiratory Protection in the Workplace
Over the years, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has built complex partnerships with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address the specific respiratory protection needs of workers in different industries. Each of these federal organizations is dedicated to ensuring that workers Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsRespiratory Protection Week 2021 Resources and Review
It’s Respiratory Protection Week! Every year we are happy to acknowledge this observance as a time for a little R&R. No – we aren’t implying that you should take a nap. By R&R we mean new resources and review of all NIOSH respiratory protection information that has become available since last September. Over the course Read More >
Posted on byAdvancements in Elastomeric Respirator Technology for Use as Source Control
Respirator design is constantly improving and evolving to meet new challenges. Manufacturers have recently developed innovative NIOSH-approved elastomeric half mask respirator (EHMR) designs that both protect the wearer as well as provide adequate source control – protecting others by filtering the wearer’s exhaled air that may contain harmful viruses or bacteria. EHMRs are being used more Read More >
Posted on by 11 CommentsRelationship Advice on Valentine’s Day: Quality Assurance—In a Respirator, That Is
On this Valentine’s Day, what lessons can respirator manufacturers learn from Liz Taylor, Larry King, Lana Turner, and Mickey Rooney? Why, the importance of quality assurance, of course. All of these celebs were married eight times—for Liz and Larry, they actually tied the knot twice with the same person—but their repeated unluckiness in love Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsOverview of the ASTM F3407 Standard Test Method for Respirator Fit Capability
The Fundamental Importance of Fit One of the most important criteria for any filtering facepiece air-purifying respirator to be effective is that a good seal is formed between the respirator’s facepiece and the wearer’s skin. The ability to achieve this seal is called the respirator’s fitting characteristic. In 1995, when NIOSH put Title 42 Code Read More >
Posted on by 9 CommentsSupplementing the Supply of N95s with Reusable Elastomeric Half Mask Respirators
As we celebrate our annual Respiratory Protection Week Observance this year, we at NIOSH want to show our appreciation to all the workers who use respiratory protection and the manufacturers who develop these products to keep our nation’s workers safe. Whether your role is to heal, protect, create, or construct, we rely on your skills Read More >
Posted on by 7 CommentsRespiratory Protection vs. Source Control – What’s the difference?
In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, CDC recommends that adults and children two years and older wear a mask, especially when social distancing is not possible or feasible[1]. Cloth masks and medical masks used in healthcare settings (such as surgical or procedure masks) are important tools in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, Read More >
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