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Do you know why Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th? It originated as Armistice Day on 11.11.19, celebrating the end of World War I, and became a national holiday in 1938. President Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday to the Veterans Day in 1954. The meaning of the day has evolved into a tribute to all veterans who have served in the military during times of war or peace. According to the HISTORY® Channel, there are about 23.2 million military veterans in the United …

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 …

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 …

First of all, a dust mask is has a single strap that goes over the head and provides very little protection from particles and debris in the air. They're also called nuisance dust masks and they're best used for mild applications like leaf blowing and general household dust protection. Dust masks just don't provide a good face seal and they protect about as well as nose hair, which is to say not that well. Replace them when they look dirty or after about 8 hours of wear. Honestly they're n …