mardi 5 août 2014

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 type of air filtering device with the ability to filter particles as small as 0.1 microns in diameter. The filter efficiency is also considerably high at about 95 percent. There are instructions concerning wearing the device that the user must follow to ensure maximum protection. For instance, the user must check to ensure that the piece fits well on the face before getting in the area of work.

The dressing procedures and all seal checks needed are normally specified by the manufacturer in the manual the product comes with. Since manufacturers make these products differently, one should not assume that donning or seal checks are the same. It is important to read the manual to be sure. Such assumptions may result in exposures to dangerous materials against which protection is being sort. Replacements should be done to any article one has trough breathing through because of damages or soiling.

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.

An individual does not have to attend the training physically. There are sites that offer online training to the public. An inspector can be called to conduct a fit test after completing the online training. This type of respirator is meant for one-time usage hence must be disposed properly after removing. Certain jurisdictions consider it an offence to re-use the item.

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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