OSHA requires respirators to be worn by a millions of workers in workplaces throughout the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient-oxygen environments or against harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays - hazards that may cause faintness or unconsciousness, lung impairment, cancer, other diseases or death. Compliance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard averts hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses annually. Safety, hygiene and emergency response professionals need products that enhance and improve their respiratory protection programs, while wearers want comfort and performance.

Respiratory protection products include air-purifying respirators, which can be a full-face respirators that cover the eyes as well as the nose or half-mask respirators, and disposable particulate respirators. Air-purifying respirators have filters, cartridges, or canisters that remove contaminants from the air by passing the ambient air through the air-purifying element before it reaches the user. Particulate respirators from manufacturers such as 3M and Moldex do not have cartridges or replaceable canisters.

Particulate respirators capture particles in the air, such as dusts, mists, and fumes. However, they do not protect against gases or vapors. Some particulate respirators will have an N-95, N-99, or N-100 rating. The use of the letter N indicates the respirator is non oil resistant and the number indicates the percentage of airborne particles that are filtered out from the particulate respirator. Generally speaking, these types of respirators become more effective as particles accumulate on the filters and plug spaces between the fibers. They require replacement when the user finds it difficult to breathe.

Full-face respirators or half-mask air-purifying respirators are normally used in atmospheres that contain hazards of both particulates and gases. These respirators use chemical cartridges or canisters to remove dangerous gases or vapors. Given the varying nature of gases or vapors, the cartridges or canisters are specifically designed for specific substances. Therefore, it's absolutely critical that a user know what types of gases or vapors may be present and to have a respirator that is capable of dealing with the specific safety concerns. Air-purifying respirators provide protection only as long as the filter's absorbing capacity is not depleted.

Another critical element in using respirators is having a fit test done beforehand. This will ensure that the respirator fits appropriately for an individual and ensures it will work properly.

Wearing the right respiratory protection is a critical safety precaution. Make sure you understand the key aspects of respirators before ever entering a potentially dangerous situation.