N95
Yes, It Is a Respirator BY KIM HODNE SAFETY CONSULTANT
Respirators, their use and associated program requirements is one of the most misunderstood and subsequently ignored standards in the construction industry. To be effective for employees and compliant to the standard takes a committed effort on the part of the employer. It is no small task and begins with the development of a Respiratory Protection Program, which will be the blueprint for implementation of employees' use of respirators in the workplace. A proper program will address the process of the required medical examination, fit testing of respirator, employee training and recordkeeping. And yes, the disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator IS a negative pressure respirator as defined by OSHA. As stated above, the use of disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator in the workplace must be included in an employer's written respiratory protection program. Even if the N95 is the only type of respirator used, all the standard requirements apply. The Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2020 listed in it’s “Census of fatal occupational 30
injuries” 1,008 fatalities nationwide, seven of those were in the state of Iowa due to respiratory illness. Once a toxic dust, particulate or vapor is inhaled, it’s too late. The effect may be immediate or may take years, but the outcome is always the same. OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard does not define "single use" respirators. This is a term used by manufactures and it is intended to differentiate from the silicone half and full face respirators with interchangeable filters and cartridges. The "single use respirator" usually refers to a disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator. Disposable respirators are not required to be discarded at the end of each task, but discarded when they are no longer in their original working condition, whether its condition results from contamination, structural defects, or wear. A negative pressure respirator means any tight-fitting respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation with respect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.
