Community Respirators and Masks | NIOSH

30 Sep.,2024

 

Community Respirators and Masks | NIOSH

Types of Respirators and Masks

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NIOSH Approved elastomeric half-mask respirator and elastomeric quarter-mask respirator

How Well It Protects You: NIOSH Approved elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs) and elastomeric quarter-mask respirators (EQMRs) protect you against gases, vapors, and particles when equipped with the appropriate filter, cartridge, or canister.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: Some EHMRs and EQMRs, such as those without exhalation valves, filter the air you breathe out and you can use them to protect others around you. If the EHMR or EQMR do not filter the air you breathe out, you should not use them if your goal is to protect others around you.

Filtration: These are reusable respirators that, when equipped with particle filters, achieve a minimum of 95% filtration efficiency.

Fit: EHMRs and EQMRs cover the nose and mouth and are tight-fitting.

Manufacturing Quality: NIOSH Approved EHMRs and EQMRs meet NIOSH requirements including demonstrated manufacturing quality. You can find respirators that meet these standards and more information on their availability on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List.

NIOSH Approved filtering facepiece respirator

How Well It Protects You: NIOSH Approved FFRs, such as N95 respirators, protect you against particles. They do not protect against gases or vapors.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: Some NIOSH Approved FFRs have exhalation valves that open to let air escape when you breathe out. This makes it easier to breathe and can make the respirator more comfortable to wear. An FFR with an exhalation valve may not protect others as well as one without a valve.

  • Without exhalation valves: NIOSH Approved FFRs without exhalation valves filter the air you breathe out. You can use this type to protect others around you.
  • With exhalation valves: If the NIOSH Approved FFR has an exhalation valve, some of the air will come out of the exhalation valve and reduce the level of protection to others. Wearing one of these will provide similar levels of protection to others as BFCs and some disposable face masks and cloth masks.

Filtration: NIOSH Approved FFRs are a disposable respirator that achieve a minimum of 95% filtration efficiency.

Fit: NIOSH Approved FFRs seal against your face around the nose and mouth and are tight-fitting.

Manufacturing Quality: NIOSH Approved FFRs meet NIOSH requirements including demonstrated manufacturing quality. You can find lists of respirators that meet this standard and more information on their availability on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List.

International filtering facepiece respirator

How Well It Protects You: International FFRs, such as KN95s, protect you against particles. They do not protect against gases or vapors.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: Some international FFRs have exhalation valves that open to let air escape when you breathe out. This makes it easier to breathe and can make the respirator more comfortable to wear. An international FFR with an exhalation valve may not protect others as well as one without a valve.

  • Without exhalation valves: International FFRs without exhalation valves filter the air you breathe out. You can wear this type to protect others around you.
  • With exhalation valves: If the international FFR has exhalation valves, the level of protection to others is variable. You should not wear this type if your goal is to protect others around you.

Filtration: International FFRs are a disposable type of respirator that achieve a level of filtration efficiency based on the specified standard with a minimum of 80%.

Fit: International FFRs seal against your face around the nose and mouth and are tight-fitting. Since manufacturers designed these respirators for populations outside of the United States, they may not seal as well to your face as a NIOSH Approved respirator.

Manufacturing Quality: International FFRs meet the requirements specified by the country which includes manufacturing quality. However, international standards often do not require the manufacturer to demonstrate quality.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit mask manufacturer.

Barrier face covering

How Well It Protects You: BFCs protect you against particles. They do not protect against gases or vapors.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: BFCs filter the air you breathe out, so you can wear them to protect others around you.

Filtration: BFCs can be disposable or reusable masks that achieve a minimum of 20% filtration efficiency against particles. There are two kinds of BFCs intended to provide a higher level of protection, Enhanced Performance and Enhanced Performance Plus BFCs. These BFCs offer a minimum of 50% and 80% filtration.

Fit: They cover the nose and mouth. Manufacturers must design BFCs to fit snugly to your face to reduce gaps. However, they may not provide as tight of a seal as a NIOSH Approved FFR or elastomeric respirator.

Manufacturing Quality: BFCs meet the ASTM F-21 consensus standard and are tested by a laboratory. The manufacturer must specify how to wear it properly to reduce gaps and, if reusable, the number of times you can wash the BFC. The NIOSH Personal Protective Equipment Information (PPE-Info) webpage has lists of BFCs that the manufacturer claims to meet enhanced recommendations, as well as more information on their availability.

Disposable face mask

How Well It Protects You: Disposable face masks may block droplets. They may not filter small particles, and they do not protect against gases or vapors.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: They may protect others around you.

Filtration: Disposable face masks are one time use masks that provide varying levels of filtration.

Fit: They cover your nose and mouth and are loose-fitting.

Manufacturing Quality: There are no standards or regulations for disposable face masks. It is very difficult to know the level of filtration and protection they provide.

Cloth mask

How Well It Protects You: Cloth masks may block droplets. They may not protect against small particles, and they do not protect against gases and vapors.

How Well It Protects Others Around You: They may protect others around you.

Filtration: Cloth masks are reusable masks that provide varying levels of filtration.

Fit: They cover your nose and mouth and are loose-fitting.

Manufacturing Quality: There are no standards or regulations for cloth masks. It is very difficult to know the level of filtration and protection they provide.

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