Respirator Types and Use | Personal Protective Equipment | CDC Additionally, a respirator's effectiveness depends heavily on proper fit and use For information on how to properly select and use respirators see Selection and Use of NIOSH Approved respirators
Respirators and Mask Types and Performance | Personal Protective . . . Graphic of an 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
Community Respirators and Masks | Personal Protective Equipment | CDC Overview Wearing a respirator or mask is one way to reduce exposures to respiratory hazards Respirators fit closely to your face and protect you by filtering particles out of the air you breathe They also filter out droplets and particles that you exhale when breathing, coughing, or sneezing to prevent the spread of germs to others Masks also filter out your exhaled breath to protect others
Fit Testing | Personal Protective Equipment | CDC Fit Testing Key points Fit tests confirm that a respirator forms a tight seal to your face before you use it in the workplace A qualitative fit test relies on your senses to determine if there is a gap in the seal of your respirator A quantitative fit test uses an instrument to numerically measure the effectiveness of your respirator
Identifying NIOSH Approved® Respirators The easiest way to tell if a product is a NIOSH approved respirator is to search for it on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List (CEL) All NIOSH Approved respirators have a testing and certification (TC) approval number (e g TC 84A-XXXX), which must be printed on the respirator
How to Use Your N95® Respirator | Personal Protective Equipment | CDC Wear your N95 respirator properly so it is effective N95 respirators must form a seal to the face to work properly This is especially important for people at increased risk for severe disease Wearing an N95 respirator can make it harder to breathe If you have heart or lung problems, talk to your doctor before using an N95 respirator Some N95 respirators may contain latex in the straps If