What is a respirator and what is a NIOSH-approved N-95 respirator?
A respirator is a personal protective device that is worn on the face, covers at least the nose and mouth, and is used to reduce the wearer’s risk of inhaling hazardous airborne particles (including dust particles and infectious agents), gases, or vapors. The many types of respirators available include (1) particulate respirators, which filter out airborne particles; (2) “gas masks,” which filter out chemicals and gases; (3) airline respirators, which use compressed air from a remote source; and (4) self-contained breathing apparatus, which include their own air supply. The category of particulate respirator can be further divided into (1) disposable or filtering facepiece respirators, where the entire respirator is discarded when it becomes unsuitable for further use due to excessive resistance, sorbent exhaustion, or physical damage; (2) reusable or elastomeric respirators, where the facepiece is cleaned and reused but the filter cartridges are discarded and replaced when they become
