Use and Selection Guide for Non-Powered Air Purifying Particulate Respirators

Features & Applications:

NIOSH issued its new testing and performance requirements for non-powered air purifying particulate respirators and filters in July 1995. The new requirements classify filters by their ability to resist degradation in the presence or absence of oil, rather than by hazard type such as dust, mist or fumes. Respirators are classed as N-, P-, or R-, and further distinguished as 95, 99 or 100 to indicate filter efficiency. After July 10, 1998, only respirators complying with 42 CFR Part 84 can be sold.

The Use and Selection Guide for Non-Powered Air Purifying Particulate Respirators is a valuable aid to safety professionals and respirator users, providing the important information needed in order to comply with the new respiratory protection requirements of 42 CFR Part 84.

Making the transition to these new respirators can be confusing to safety professionals and industrial hygienists responsible for respiratory protection programs. This 20-page ISEA Use and Selection Guide makes it easier, by describing the new classifications, and providing a decision logic for selecting them. It also contains tables comparing existing 30 CFR 11 respirators to the new 42 CFR 84 respirators by particulate type, and by OSHA substance-specific standard. The Use and Selection Guide was developed as a collaborative effort of the 16 members of the ISEA Respiratory Protection Group, who together account for 88 percent of all NIOSH-certified respirators.