Lofgren Don J
1 Industrial Hygiene Review Services, Kent, WA, USA.
New Solut. 2018 May;28(1):24-32. doi: 10.1177/1048291117734882. Epub 2017 Oct 11.
The filtering facepiece air-purifying respirator is annually purchased in the tens of millions and widely used for worker protection from harmful airborne particulates. The workplace consumers of this safety product, i.e., employers, workers, and safety and health professionals, have assurances of its effectiveness through the respirator certification and disclosure requirements of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. However, the certification of a critical performance requirement has been missing for the approved filtering facepiece respirator since 1995: fit capability. Without this certification, consumers continue to be at risk of purchasing a respirator model that may fit a small percentage of the intended users. This commentary updates and expands an earlier one by this author, addresses the consequences of poorly fitting certified models on the market and lack of disclosure, and calls for further action by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to meet the needs and expectations of the consumer.
过滤式面罩空气净化呼吸器每年的采购量达数千万，广泛用于保护工人免受有害空气微粒的侵害。这种安全产品的工作场所消费者，即雇主、工人以及安全与健康专业人员，通过美国国家职业安全与健康研究所的呼吸器认证和披露要求，对其有效性有了保障。然而，自1995年以来，经批准的过滤式面罩呼吸器一直缺少一项关键性能要求的认证：适配能力。没有这项认证，消费者仍然有可能购买到仅能适配一小部分目标用户的呼吸器型号。本评论更新并扩展了作者早期的一篇评论，阐述了市场上认证型号适配性差以及缺乏披露的后果，并呼吁美国国家职业安全与健康研究所采取进一步行动，以满足消费者的需求和期望。
