A plethora of options – Credit NIOSH
# 7472
Although this blog tends to discuss PPEs (personal protective equipment) in an infectious disease environment, in truth there are many non-medical jobs and situations where having the right respirator can mean the difference between working safely, and risking injury or even death.
Later today NIOSH will hold an online webinar on MERS-CoV infection control - and yesterday we learned from the CDC that studies of the H7N9 virus suggest transocular infection is possible (see Nature: H7N9 Pathogenesis and Transmissibility In Ferrets & Mice).
So today seems like an opportune time to present the following video on how to select the proper respiratory protective gear. As you will see, for tight-fitting protective gear (such as N95 masks), fit-testing (and re-testing at least once a year) is considered vital.
So, for anyone working in an environment (healthcare or otherwise) who may have cause to wear one of these masks, and who has not been recently fit tested . . . now would be a good time to talk to your supervisor.
Even if you don’t work in a hazardous environment, you may have some N95 masks or a respirator in your emergency kit. This video will provide some valuable insight into what works in various scenarios.
Well worth the 16 minutes of your time to watch.
