Washington — NIOSH has issued a guide intended to help employers select appropriate air-purifying respirators based on the environment and contaminants at specific jobsites.
APRs are used to protect workers by removing gases, vapors, aerosols (airborne droplets and solid particles) or a combination of contaminants from the air by using filters, cartridges or canisters. NIOSH notes that the devices cannot be used in areas that are oxygen deficient or where immediate danger to life or health exists.
The new guide provides information on filtering facepieces – also known as N95 respirators – elastomeric half facepieces, elastomeric full facepieces and powered air-purifiers.
The guide was published on Sept. 5, or N95 Day – an annual NIOSH initiative to raise workplace respirator awareness.
