Many occupations require the use of a mask or respirator to protect the wearer from airborne particles and preserve their respiratory protection.
These could be dust, smoke, fumes or chemicals.
So it is important to know which type of mask or respirator to wear for your health.
We take a look at the respiratory basics including the P100 versus the N95, so you will know which to choose for your task.
Some masks even make use of an exhalation valve. An exhalation valve helps to make it easier to breathe without the need for breathing apparatus.
While many people may use the term mask and respirator interchangeably they are actually quite different.
A mask is normally a type of fabric covering that goes across your mouth and nose, it may or may not have a filter.
Respirators are a piece of PPE or personal protective equipment that removes particles from the air that you are breathing.
They do this through the use of filters, cartridges or canisters.
There are different types of masks and respirators, some are single use and others are reusable.
Respirators in particular are rated according to what they filter out and to what extent, and how much respiratory protection they offer to benefit the health of the wearer.
A P100 respirator or mask will filter out 99.97% of airborne particles and an N95 mask will filter 95% of particulate matter.
Filtered masks and respirators such as the N95 are fitted with a means of filtering airborne particles from the air to maintain respiratory protection and to allow the individual to comfortably breathe the air while protecting their health.
The letter relates to the material in the filter and the type of respiratory hazards in the air that it will filter.
Respirators and masks are rated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health which is part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The designation given to different respirators and masks are N, R and P.
N designated respirators and masks such as the N95 are capable of filtering out 95%-99.7% of particulate matter in the air but are not oil aerosol resistant.
R designated respirators and masks can filter 95% of airborne particles and are somewhat resistant to oil particulates, making them good for protection in such contexts.
P designated respirators such as the P100 can filter 95%-99.7% of particles out of the air and are oil proof.
These respirators and masks, N, R and P are assigned numbers according to the percentage of airborne particles they protect against.
Therefore, a N95 is a non-oil resistant respirators that filters out 95% of contaminants in the air and a P100 is oilproof and removes 99.97% of contaminants in the air.
To understand the respirators rating a bit better we need to explain what the letter designation on these respirators or masks means and how it works.
The way a respirator or mask works is by trapping particles in the air via two means. The first is through the material and how tightly woven it is.
The second method is through a static charge that is built into the fabric during manufacturing.
This static electrical charge may be reduced by the presence of oil and gases in the air, so the letter designation for masks represents its ability to resist oil particles.
An N respirator and mask like the N95 is classified as being non-oil resistant.
This means that it will filter out dust, fumes, gases, and mists but is not capable of filtering out anything that contains an oil aerosol.
An R respirator and mask can filter all of the same things as N respirators as well as some oil particle exposure.
In an oil filled environment R rated respirators should only be used for 8 hours at a time.
P respirators such as the P100 is capable of filtering oil particles and is used as protection against oil-based and non-oil based particulate matter.
Examples of oil particles include solvents, pesticides, lubricants, glycerine and cutting fluids.
The number that follows the letter designation of respirators refers to the percentage of airborne particulate matter that the respirators are capable of filtering.
However, while the N95 means it is capable of filtering 95% of particles from the air the
P100 is cited as being capable of removing 99.7% of particulates, not 100%.
Dust masks and single use respirators are suitable for tasks like lead abatement and do not require a replacement cartridge.
More powerful respirators like the P100 in the full or half face types are designed for use with filter cartridges.
Each of these respirators will indicate what situations they can be used in and what they are capable of filtering out from the air.
Most are color coded for simplicity, a system that was implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
An N95 filter cartridge will be a teal color while a P100 will be purple.
When choosing filters and cartridges for respirators there are four main categories of exposure to consider.
The first is particles found in the air such as dust, smoke, pollen and liquid contaminants. The second is organic vapors which arise from petroleum-based products.
These can be very harmful to health, especially when a person is to breathe it through their mouth from the air.
The third is called nuisance level organic vapor which comes from livestock, rotted vegetation and landfills.
The last category of exposure is acid gases such as sulfur dioxide and chlorine.
It is essential to get the right size of respirator or mask in order to benefit fully from its protection and benefit your health.
If it does not fit properly it will not be as effective when wearing it, and will present its own set of problems and present a hazard to safety.
There are some things you can do to ensure you buy the right size of respirators for your safety.
First of all, check that the respirators cover both your nose and your mouth to protect you from aerosols in the air.
Then ensure that it is a tight fit, a loose-fitting respirator or mask is no good as it will not provide adequate protection or protect you from contaminants and safety hazards in the air.
Surgical masks need to fit snugly to the face while still making it easy to breathe the air.
You should expect the mask to sit comfortably on your face for long periods, even in jobs of high demand while allowing plenty of air in.
If you have a choice go for an adjustable respirator or mask so that you can ensure that you can alter the fit to be comfortable as well as protective to your safety and to ensure that you receive proper respiratory protection from gases for continued safety while still allowing plenty of breathable air into the mask.
For those who need to wear an N95 in their occupation, a good fit with the equipment is important for safety and ensuring air flow.
If a new size of your surgical masks is required for example after weight gain/loss or dental work then a new fitting for surgical masks should be done in order to ensure that you continue to receive protection from gases, small particles, and other hazards in the air and reduce the risk of spread of infection, and protecting your safety into the future as you breathe the air.
A respirator or surgical mask is only as effective as its fit and function, so it needs to fit properly and work well to keep a steady air flow free of airborne contaminants.
To ensure that you are wearing your respirator or surgical mask correctly check the following:
For a quick guide on when to change the filters in your respirator use the triple D system. This stands for Dirty, Damaged, and Difficult to Breathe the air.
If any of these apply to your mask then it is time to change the whole mask if it is an N95 or the cartridges in a P100.
Whether you need a P100 or an N95 mask for your job it’s important to make sure that you are generally using the correct one for your needs and that the fit is good in order to receive the best protection while still providing plenty of air, even in an area of low air quality.
We hope this guide helped you to understand the difference between the N95 and P100 respirators and surgical masks.
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