N95 Respirator – Credit CDC PHIL
# 6537
I am a bit chagrined to admit that – until about 12 hours ago – I didn’t know that the good folks at NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) had declared today, September 5th, as N95 DAY (get it? 9/5 for N95).
Anyway . . . moving on.
As any good disease geek knows, N95 masks are the preferred personal protective equipment (PPE) to don when dealing with many airborne infectious diseases.
But N95s are used in many occupational settings, not just healthcare.
Which is why NIOSH is working to help educate employers, workers, hobbyists - and anyone else who might need respiratory protection - on how, and when, to use N95 respirators.
To help their cause along, today a few links to some helpful N95 use and selection information, and a video on how to properly don and doff (yes, those are the correct terms) these protective respirators.
Respirator Trusted-Source Information
Provides information explaining the different types of respirators, how to identify approved models, as well as distribution information.
Section 2: Use of NIOSH Respirators
Provides information on how to implement the appropriate use of respirators in the workplace. This section also contains a listing of recently revoked respirator approvals as well as relevant User Notices.
Section 3: Ancillary Respirator Information
Frequently asked Questions and Answers about respirators, the Science behind Respirator Function and Performance, and a listing of all NIOSH-approved and FDA-cleared surgical N95 respirators.
A link to the NIOSH SCIENCE BLOG, which today features:
Happy N95 Day!
In a related story, a report from CIDRAP last night on research that looked at the added burden that breathing through an N95 mask placed on people when working or exercising moderately.
Study: Physiologic effects of N-95 respirators are small
The physiologic effects of wearing N-95 respirators are small and shouldn't pose an obstacle for healthy people, according to a study yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.
And finally, the controversy over the appropriateness of N95 respirators vs. surgical masks as PPEs when protecting against influenza continues. Those interested in the debate may wish to revisit some of these earlier blogs.
Study: Aerosolized Influenza And PPEs
Study: Longevity Of Viruses On PPEs
Why Size Matters
IOM: PPEs For HCWs 2010 Update
