Blog
Tips for Using N95 Respirators or Other Alternatives
- By: NEGFA
- On: 04/03/2020 11:36:48
- In: Regulatory Updates
- Comments: 0
- Make sure you have a written respiratory program that complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Respiratory Protection Standard. OSHA has published a Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respiratory Protection Standard, which gives excellent guidance on developing your respiratory program.
- Make sure all employees using respirators in your facility have passed the required medical evaluation prior to using a respirator.
- Make sure all employees using respirators in your facility have completed the required annual fit test for each type of respirator that they are approved to use.
- Make sure you have completed the required annual training of all employees using respirators in your facility.
- Make sure you provide proper storage for all respirators.
- Make sure you have all required records in place for your respirator program.
Finding Alternatives to N95 Respirators
1. Are your employees using N95 disposable respirators only with essential tasks handling hazardous materials?

But, if your employees are using N95 respirators for other tasks that are not related to handling a hazardous material, a single strap dust mask may be a more appropriate choice.
2. Have you considered engineering controls?

3. Have you considered an alternative respirator?
These types of respirators, although not disposable, offer excellent protection against exposure to hazards. They offer a tighter fitting face-piece to be used with disposable filter cartridges.
Facilities can also use a powered air-purifying respirator. This type of respirator uses a battery-powered system to pull ambient air through a purifying device and into the user's breathing zone.

Three possible disadvantages of the non-disposable types of respirators are: they are more expensive to use, equipment must be assigned to individual employees and they require more storage space.
What should you do if you can't find N95 respirators?
If your facility is having immediate difficulties sourcing N95 respirators for handling hazardous materials due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, in Nebraska contact your local health department officials for where your facility is located and inform the agency of your needs. If they are unable to assist, then elevate your issue to Nebraska's Emergency Management Agency.
Comments
There have been no comments made on this article. Why not be the first and add your own comment using the form below.
Leave a comment
Commenting is restricted to members only. Please login now to submit a comment.