Category: Respirators
N95 Day 2015: The tools to build a culture of proper respiratory protection practices
Every day is a day to think about worker safety. But today, on our annual N95 Day (09/04/2015), we embrace our dedication to proper respiratory protection practices, shining it with a bit of elbow grease, and displaying it at the very front line of our priorities. Today we find the time necessary to focus Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsN95 Respirator Use During Pregnancy – Findings from Recent NIOSH Research
Recent NIOSH research has shed some light on the topic of the safety of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) use by pregnant workers. Women make up approximately one-half of the US work force. At any given time, about 10% of those female workers of child-bearing age (15–44 years of age) will be pregnant. Because Read More >
Posted on by 15 CommentsA Perfect Romance: A Valentine’s Day Guide to the Necessary Considerations of CBRN APR Use
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear … no, we’re not talking about our plans for Valentine’s Day. For the last few years NIOSH has celebrated this romantic holiday by showing a little love for respirators. This year we are highlighting the special considerations necessary for the use of CBRN APRs (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Air-Purifying Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsN95 Day 2014: Respirator Preparedness – Where Technology Meets Good Practices
N95 Day is finally here again. We hope that you have been looking forward to it as much as we have! N95 Day has become an annual observance, now in its third year. This year we are focusing on the specific theme of “Respiratory Preparedness: Where Technology Meets Good Practices.” Confidence and familiarity with proper Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsReaching Towards a Healthier, Safer Workplace:NIOSH looks at healthcare worker familiarity with recommended respiratory protection practices
Every day healthcare workers (HCWs) make decisions about the best way to protect themselves. What would you do if you entered the room of a new patient and noticed symptoms such as fever and a mucus-producing cough? As a HCW, you must then ask yourself, “What type of disease does the patient have? What sort Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsDo We Need to Challenge Respirator Filters With Biological Aerosols?
The purpose of this NIOSH Science Blog is to explain what is currently known about an important aspect of respirator filtration. For decades, respirator researchers have been asked whether filters need to be tested with aerosols similar to those encountered in the environment (Figure 1). Common sense suggests that viruses or bacteria are collected differently Read More >
Posted on by 8 CommentsRespirator Care = Safe to Wear!
Happy Valentine’s Day! And on this most romantic day of the year, what else could you possibly do than show some love … to your respirator. Last year on this day, we blogged about maintaining your relationship with your Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). To continue to spread the love, this year we want to focus Read More >
Posted on by 7 CommentsHappy N95 Day! A Guide to N95 Resources
Welcome to year two of this NIOSH-approved observance, marking N95 day as an official annual event. (We debated about decorating our offices with N95s – but that seemed a tad wasteful). To those who missed the memo last year, let us update you. Because N95 respirators are so important to the health and safety Read More >
Posted on by 13 CommentsAdvanced Headforms for Evaluating Respirator Fit
Over three million Americans are required to wear respirators in their workplaces. In order to strive for the highest level of protection, ongoing research is essential for learning more about the factors that affect how respirators fit to the face. As part of this pursuit, NIOSH has developed a new robotic manikin headform (called an Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsImproving Respirator Use and Compliance in Healthcare – An Invitation
Poor compliance with respiratory protection requirements and proper use recommendations in healthcare settings remains a vexing problem. Given the many possible methods to improve compliance, and the constraints of limited budgets and resources available for research, we are asking the question: where should NIOSH conduct research to address this issue? There are many reasons Read More >
Posted on by 8 CommentsMaintaining a Relationship with your SCBA
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is the day of the year dedicated to showing our significant others just how much we care. Boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives all scurry to make the day special with chocolates, flowers, romantic dinners, and thoughtful gifts. Why? Because good relationships take work. Good relationships take maintenance. Have you ever thought Read More >
Posted on by 22 CommentsHappy N95 Day!
What? You didn’t know it was N95 day? Don’t worry! Exchanging gifts is not a required practice. N95 Day is a time to recognize the importance of respiratory protection in the workplace and familiarize yourself with the resources out there to help you make educated decisions when selecting and wearing a respirator. There are many Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsN95 Respirators and Surgical Masks
The emergence of H1N1 has created considerable interest about the use of surgical masks and respirators as infection control measures. Given the recent issuance of revised CDC infection control guidance for healthcare personnel that include recommendations for use of N95 respirators, NIOSH has posted a new blog that examines the scientific principles behind the design and performance of these devices. Read More >
Posted on by 163 CommentsThe “No Fit Test” Respirator Research Workshop
NIOSH is hosting the "No Fit Test" Respirator Research Workshop on November 6, 2008. The workshop aims to examine how the latest material technology (shape-changing polymers, adhesives, etc.) may be leveraged to improve current and future respirator designs including the long-term possibility of moving away from current fit-testing requirements, while preserving user protection. Read More >
Posted on by 24 CommentsFrequency of Respirator Fit Testing
Over three million American workers are required to wear respirators to protect themselves from hazards in their workplace. Since the fit of the respirator to the user's face affects the protection provided by the respirator, occupational safety and health professionals recommend fit assessment during the initial selection of a respirator model and at some periodicity as part of a respiratory protection program. Read More >
Posted on by 98 CommentsInfluenza Pandemic and the Protection of Healthcare Workers with Personal Protective Equipment
NIOSH is committed to ensuring that its research is relevant and making a difference in the lives of workers. As such, in 2005, NIOSH asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to form a standing committee to provide strategic guidance in addressing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) issues for workers. One issue the committee deemed of high importance is PPE for healthcare workers in the event of pandemic influenza. Read More >
Posted on by 38 Comments