Information To Know About N95 Respirators

By Annabelle Holman


Respirators refer to devices designed and used for protection against inhalation of harmful air or airborne particles such as fumes, dust, gasses, and vapors. N95 respirators are one of the many varieties of respirators on the market. They are meant for general use. They can be used by the public, health workers, industrial workers, or in workplaces that require workers to protect themselves against harmful substances and gasses. There are other brands that are more suited for use by military personnel and other heavy users.

N95 respirator is a disposable air filtering appliance that can filter particles with diameters as tiny as 0.1 microns. They have a considerably high filter efficiency of around 95 percent. For maximum protection, the user must follow the instructions on how to wear the product. For instance, before one gets into the work area, they must confirm that the piece is well fitted on the face and is air proof along the sealing surface.

Manuals that accompany the products usually specify all necessary seal checks and dressing procedures. Different manufacturers make the products in different ways hence a user should not think that the seal checks and donning procedures remain the same in all brands. Reading the manual is important. Contamination and exposures are common among individuals who ignore the manuals. Damages or soiling can make an article hard to breathe through. Such articles should be replaced immediately.

There are many different settings in which these devices can be employed. Animal handlers, researchers, and health practitioners are some of the users. All work places with contaminants capable of being blocked using the devices are the major places of application. Employers may also demand wearing of this safety gear by their employees. In such as case, the workers have to go for the fit test and training program held annually in the United States.

Such trainings can be undertaken online without having to visit the training facilities. After taking the online training, one can call an inspector to come and conduct a fit test. Since these devices are meant to be used only once, they must be discarded immediately they are removed. It is an offence to re-use the item under certain jurisdictions.

Certain limitations are associated with these devices and users should know about them. One of the limitations is that they do not provide protection against chemicals. The efficiency of the device is sometimes reduced by facial hair. The hair prevents the sealing surface from forming a tight seal. Protection against certain hazards like silica, lead, and asbestos is not possible.

The device cannot be employed at certain concentration levels beyond the recommended limit. For example, concentration levels that are over ten times the recommended levels make the device useless. Employees can voluntarily wear the device even if levels of exposures are way below recommended lower limits for using the equipment.

Users are discouraged from touching the exterior of the device after leaving contaminated scenes. This is because contaminants stick of the surfaces. Proper hand washing should be done afterwards.




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