The United States Department of Labor announced a Respiratory Protection Standard with which all employers must comply. However, compatible equipment is still in short supply in the U.S. as manufacturers hasten to meet the specification. Therefore, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) listed respiratory protection equipment standards from seven other countries it considers equivalent under the circumstances.
Why the Quality of Respiratory Breathing Equipment Matters
First, the coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease enters human hosts through moist external tissue in their mouths, throats, eyes, and nostrils. Then, it seeks out receptor cells there that allow it to begin its work. Although the host body’s immune system should eventually find it and destroy it.
Meanwhile, the host develops secondary infections while this battle rages. These are most likely to take advantage of preexisting weaknesses.Therefore, if their development cannot be halted, then the person with the comorbidity may die. Moreover, face protection is the only strategy against airborne transmission we have at this point in the front line of the battle.
Alternative National Respiratory Protection Equipment Standards
America’s benchmark standard is 29 CFR 1910.134. The top left respirator in the image is of this general type, because it covers both the wearer’s nose and mouth. However, its efficiency depends on how well it seals, and the quality of the filters on either side of the face.
Specification 29 CFR 1910.134 is the benchmark standard, and should be sought after at all times. However, the Federal Government has declared the following foreign equivalents compatible during respirator shortages:
Australia: AS/NZS 1716:2012
Brazil: ABNT/NBR 13694:1996; ABNT/NBR 13697:1996: ABNT/NBR 13698:2011
European Union: EN 140-1999; EN 143-2000; and EN 149-2001
Japan: JMHLW-2000
Mexico: NOM-116-2009
Republic of Korea: KMOEL-2014-46; and KMOEL-2017-64
People’s Republic of China: GB 2626-2006; and GB 2626-2019
OSHA confirms these standards provide similar filtration to devices complying with respiratory protection equipment standard 29 CFR 1910.134. This means they have an assigned protection factor equal to or greater than 10, and therefore should be safe for use as directed.
Related
Re-Classifying Work Place Risks on Opening
Workplace Standards under COVID-19
Preview Image: Types of Respiratory Protection
