Program for n95

The respirator must be put on donned and taken off doffed correctly before and worn throughout the exposure.

Link to infographic on the Key Factors of Respiratory Protection. OSHA requires healthcare workers who are expected to perform patient activities with those suspected or confirmed to be infected with COVID to wear respiratory protection, such as an N95 respirator.

It is important to note that surgical masks, sometimes referred to as facemasks, are different than respirators and are not designed nor approved to provide protection against airborne particles.

Fit testing is a critical component to a respiratory protection program whenever workers use tight-fitting respirators. OSHA requires an initial respirator fit test to identify the right model, style, and size respirator for each worker. Annual fit tests ensure that users continue to receive the expected level of protection.

A fit test confirms that a respirator correctly fits the user. Additionally, tight-fitting respirators, including N95s, require a user seal check each time you put one on to help ensure the best fit possible. During times of extreme supply constraints, when there may be limited availability of respirators or fit test kits, employers may face challenges in fit testing workers.

Employers should make every effort to ensure that workers who need to use tight-fitting respirators are fit tested to identify the right respirator for each worker. Under serious outbreak conditions in which respirator supplies are severely limited, however, you may not have the opportunity to be fit tested on a respirator before you need to use it.

While this is not ideal, in this scenario, you should work with your employer to choose the respirator that fits you best, as, even without fit testing, a respirator will provide better protection than a facemask or using no respirator at all. If possible, start with the size you have been fit tested for previously, but as size can vary by manufacturer and model, you may need to wear a different size to achieve a good fit. If you have never been fit tested before, the following recommendations are still useful.

The respirator should fit over your nose and under your chin. If you cannot get a good face seal, try a different model or size. If you receive respirators, and you need to use them right away without fit testing, ask your employer for additional you should have already received training on proper respirator use and user seal checks product training videos and literature on proper donning and doffing, which should be available from the manufacturer. Practice putting on the respirator and doing a user seal check at least several times.

Check the fit in a mirror or ask a colleague to look to be sure the respirator is touching your face and appears to be on properly. While fit testing is ideal to confirm if a respirator does or does not fit, healthcare professionals should be able to obtain a good fit if they have had training and they perform a user seal check prior to each use of the respirator.

Even if workers begin using respirators without proper fit testing, employers should make every effort to perform fit testing as respirator supplies allow. Want to know what caused massive personal protective equipment shortage and why those on the frontlines are having so much trouble acquiring it? Our mini documentary traces PPE from factory to nurse and explains how new complications in global supply chains have exacerbated the problem. Masks for Communities Masks for Communities is a coalition of corporations, suppliers, nonprofits, and citizens working together to distribute high-filtration masks for free to people who cannot afford them to help limit the spread of COVID.

Shop Online Questions about an existing order? Contact us here! If you're a healthcare or frontline organization, we will source vetted products for you. Surgical masks are not to be shared and may be labeled as surgical, isolation, dental, or medical procedure masks. They may come with or without a face shield. These are sometimes referred to as face masks, as described above, although not all face masks are regulated as surgical masks. Surgical masks are made in different thicknesses and with different ability to protect you from contact with liquids.

These properties may also affect how easily you can breathe through the face mask and how well the surgical mask protects you. If worn properly, a surgical mask is meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs viruses and bacteria , keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Surgical masks may also help reduce exposure of your saliva and respiratory secretions to others. While a surgical mask may be effective in blocking splashes and large-particle droplets, a face mask, by design, it does not filter or block very small particles in the air that may be transmitted by coughs, sneezes, or certain medical procedures.

Surgical masks also do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face. Surgical masks are not intended to be used more than once.

If your surgical mask is damaged or soiled, or if breathing through the mask becomes difficult, you should remove it, discard it safely, and replace it with a new one.