Respirator user instructions and NIOSH approval labels: are they understood and used?
Authors
Doney-B; Groce-D; Greskevitch-M; Hoffman-W
Source
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 8-13, 2004, Atlanta, Georgia. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2004 May; :83
Abstract
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a nationwide respirator survey through the United States Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics. The purpose of the survey was to evaluate respirator use and practice as an aid to guiding NIOSH respirator certification and research. The survey was mailed in August 2001 to 40,002 establishments representing all of the private sector major industry divisions. Among other information collected on respirator use and practices, the survey included questions on respirator user instructions and labeling. The survey estimated that 89% of all respirator-using establishments agree that manufacturers’ instructions are clear and easily understood; 90% agree that manufacturers’ instructions are beneficial in the use of respirators; 84% agree that NIOSH approval labels are clear and easily understood; and 80% agree that NIOSH approval labels are beneficial in the use of respirators. These high levels of agreement were uniform across all industry and establishment size groups. In contrast, however, were the findings from other questions in the survey that indicate apparent widespread inadequacies in the respiratory protection programs offered by establishments. For example, 91% of establishments requiring respirator use had at least one indicator of a potentially inadequate respiratory protection program, while 54% had at least five indicators.
Keywords
Respirators; Surveillance-programs; Questionnaires; Respiratory-protection; Respiratory-protective-equipment; Respiratory-equipment
NIOSH Division
DRDS; NPPTL
Priority Area
Construction
Source Name
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 8-13, 2004, Atlanta, Georgia
