Respiratory Protection Week 2022
Respiratory Protection Week 2022: Staying Committed to Proper Respiratory Protection Practices
Our commitment to respiratory protection runs deep for us here at NIOSH. Using a NIOSH Approved® respirator, checking the fit, and donning (putting on) and doffing (taking off) your respirator properly are among some of the basic practices to make sure you stay protected on the job when exposed to harmful particulates.
NIOSH Respirator Approval Program: Post-Market Evaluations
The NIOSH Respirator Approval Program approves respirators in accordance with 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 84 (42 CFR Part 84). After approval and once respirators are on the market, the NIOSH Respirator Approval Program (RAP) also conducts post-market conformity evaluations—such as product audits—on different types of respirators.
How to Wear Your Filtering Facepiece Respirator
For your filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) to work as effectively as possible, you must wear it correctly. This includes the process of putting it on (donning) and taking it off (doffing). FFRs must form a seal to the face. Fit testing is the best way to confirm that a respirator fits you.
PDF, Image
Respirator Selection Guide for the Construction Industry
Choosing the right respirator for the job, and the hazard, is a vital part of protecting workers. This fact sheet will help construction companies understand the basics of respirator selection. It provides employers and respiratory protection managers a central resource for respirator selection recommendations specific to the construction industry.
Why Respiratory Protection Week?
Respiratory protection has always been a key component of personal protective equipment to keep individuals safe from workplace airborne hazards, but over the last few years more people have become aware of just how important. This year marks our fourth Respiratory Protection Week, but our virtual shout-out for respiratory protection goes back to 2012 when we began observing N95 Day. N95 Day highlighted best practices and resources specific to the most commonly used filtering facepiece respirator, the N95. We continued with the N95 focus for seven years until we expanded our campaign in 2019 to be inclusive of all types of respiratory protection.
Each year we continue respirator research to address knowledge gaps and use this observance week to share our findings and educational tools to promote proper respiratory protection practices.
Whether you are a newcomer to Respiratory Protection Week or have been with us since the N95 Days, you can check out the resources available from our previous years’ observance kick-off blogs.
Respiratory Protection Week
2022: Respiratory Protection Week 2022: Staying Committed to Proper Respiratory Protection Practices
2021: Respiratory Protection Week 2021 Resources and Review
2020: Supplementing the Supply of N95s with Reusable Elastomeric Half Mask Respirators
2019: NIOSH Launches Respiratory Protection Week in Celebration of 100 Years of Respiratory Protection
N95 Day
2018: Getting Down to the Particulars about Filter Class
2017: When to think Beyond the N95 FFR
2016: Proper Use, Filtration, and Fit – The Three-Legged Stool of Respiratory Protection
2015: The tools to build a culture of proper respiratory protection practices
2014: Respirator Preparedness – Where Technology Meets Good Practices
2013: A Guide to N95 Resources
How to Participate
How can you participate in Respiratory Protection Week? We highly encourage hosting activities within your own organizations, whether that be training sessions with your staff, educational messages pertaining to your specific workplace hazards, or just fun pictures on social media of your staff showing off their proper respiratory protection practices (and general love of a safe workplace environment!).
Like every year, we will be active on our social media platforms promoting information and new resources. We encourage you to join the conversation. Follow our observance hashtag (#RespiratorWeek) to stay up to date on the latest information. Interacting with our posts helps spread the information far and wide.
Follow us!
If you are going to participate, why not show it off? Download these graphics to display on your organization’s website or your own personal social media accounts.
