Is the air around you irritating your respiratory tract? Do you find it hard to breathe in an environment highly impregnated with toxic particles? If this sounds like a scenario you find yourself facing a lot, then you are definitely in need of a gas mask!
With an immense increase in pollution and the devastating climate change, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is on the rise too and rightly so. A gas mask is thus, essential as our protective gear. It provides safety against the hazardous airborne particles as well as the liquids threatening our health.
However, choosing the ideal protective respirator is not an easy task. The one that is most highly recommended is the N95 mask.
N95 Gas Mask
This type of respiratory mask provides the perfect facial fit and thus, filters micro particles extremely efficiently. An N95 mask provides blockage of around 95% of test particles that are as small as 0.3 microns. Its filtration capacities are much better than those of facial masks. However, complete elimination of particles is still impossible.
It requires a perfect fit for proper functioning. Hence, it is not best suitable for children or by people who have facial hair.
N95 Respiratory masks for healthcare and industrial settings
Industrial work places like construction sites are the most popular places where workers are exposed to small hazardous particles such as dust and smoke. Therefore, it is essential to use some kind of respiratory protection at such places. National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) has tested the effectiveness of the N95 respirators under the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) supervision. They have labeled these masks as safe for occupational use.
Other workplace settings where these masks are considered extremely popular are healthcare facilities. FDA has cleared N95 respirators for use in such settings. Such gas masks are termed as surgical N95 respirators. These have been cleared for usage after proper evaluation using parameters such as performance testing, biocompatibility testing, flammability testing, and fluid resistance. Moreover, they are certified by the NIOSH for their differential pressure testing and filtration efficiency.
