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Respirators are a crucial line of defense for anyone working in environments with dust, fumes, or hazardous materials. But just like any safety equipment, their effectiveness relies heavily on proper maintenance. Regularly replacing respirator filters is essential for ensuring optimal performance and uninterrupted protection. Below, we walk you through replacing 3M respirator filters, highlighting key considerations, and addressing some of the most frequently asked questions.How to replace …

As a guy who has lost a fair amount of brain cells to paint and varnish vapors I know better than most that many projects aren't properly ventilated. (Yes I called them paint and varnish fumes in the title because that's what folks search for. Fumes are heated solid particles - think burning metal. Vapors are gaseous. I haven't lost all my brain cells.) That being said, there are some jobs that even I know have to have a fresh air source. Respirators are great, but in an environment wit …

Ebola was exciting wasn't it? I'm not talking about the terrible disease that some African countries are still struggling with. I'm talking about those amazing news reports getting everybody all whipped up. While we talked about basic precautions against the more likely scenarios, we are not the largest news agency in the world (shocking, I know). Now we are overstocked on some of our best respirators, and if you haven't added them to your Walking Dead safety kit, or you just need great lu …

Respirator filters are rated according to how much particulate matter they can reliably block. A P100 rating is the highest for personal respiratory protection. As long as your mask fits properly a P100 filter will block 99.9% of particles .3 microns or larger. (If you're interested in the nitty-gritty the CDC has a comprehensive and fairly unreadable guide to particulate respirators.) In defense of the CDC, there are a huge range of hazards, and not everyone can wax poetic about lun …

Yes, people do actually clean their respirators. And it's a good idea for you to do it too. Not only can some bad microbial monsters take up residence in an unclean respirator, but clogged air intake and exhalation valves may cause your respirator to stop functioning as it should. There are a range of respirators available, some full-face, some half-face, but they all share common characteristics. Remember, we're not talking about disposable respirators (aka dust masks) - those th …

Protection from the Ebola virus continues to dominate the news. More agencies and individuals are discussing full-face and half-face respirators as solutions for care givers. But without proper fit testing, these masks may not be as effective as a towel held over your nose. Fit testing for respirators requires some specialized equipment as well as an understanding of how respirators protect the lungs. The equipment consists of a hood that goes over the person wearing the respirator, …

In order to get out of your protective clothing without subjecting yourself to the materials you've been so careful to avoid, field decontamination procedures should be followed carefully. This process does not make the garment safe for re-use. Rather it is a way to extricate yourself from the clothing that has protected you before it is discarded. DuPont's protective Tychem garments, like their more common Tyvek hazmat coveralls are designed for limited-use applications. Even the he …

Fit testing your company employees for respirators can be thought of the same way the Chinese symbol for crisis incorporates the characters for danger as well as opportunity. Sure there's a chance for things to get completely messed up. Done incorrectly, your fit testing might result in long lines of employees standing idle for hours which would be embarrassing for the fit test administrator and bad for the bottom line. If you are in charge of fit testing for a large organization like a hospi …

The deadly explosion of the West Fertilizer Plant in West, Texas is still in the search and rescue stages, but serious air quality risks may now be affecting local residents and rescue workers. What can emergency workers and volunteers do to minimize the health hazards that are likely present on the site of, and in the immediate vicinity of, this most recent US explosion? At a news conference, local Waco Police Department Sgt. William Swanton said this morning, "Air quality, at this …

Don't forget your jacket and your face mask. These words are more likely than ever to be spoken as people leave the house in major cities in China and other industrialized cities around the world these days. As air pollution degenerates further and further, lung protection becomes important not just for those working in factories and other places with dirty flying particles, but simply for day to day health in cities like Beijing, with over 20 million people. According to an article …