Impact of multiple consecutive donnings on filtering facepiece respirator fit.
Authors
Bergman-MS; Viscusi-DJ; Zhuang-Z; Palmiero-AJ; Powell-JB; Shaffer-RE
Source
Am J Infect Control 2012 May; 40(4):375-380
Abstract
A concern with reuse of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-certified N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) is that multiple donnings could stress FFR components, impairing fit. This study investigated the impact of multiple donnings on the facepiece fit of 6 N95 FFR models using a group of 10 experienced test subjects per model. METHODS: The TSI PORTACOUNT Plus and N95 Companion accessory were used for all tests. After qualifying by passing a standard Occupational Safety and Health Administration fit test, subjects performed up to 20 consecutive tests on an individual FFR sample using a modified protocol. Regression analyses were performed for the percentage of donnings resulting in fit factors (FFs) =100 for all 6 FFR models combined. RESULTS: Regression analyses showed statistical significance for donning groups 1-10, 1-15, and 1-20. The mean percentage of donnings with an FF =100 was 81%-93% for donning group 1-5, but dropped to 53%-75% for donning group 16-20. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that multiple donnings had a model-dependent impact on fit for the 6 N95 models evaluated. The data suggest that 5 consecutive donnings can be performed before FFs consistently drop below 100.
Keywords
Respirators; Respiratory-equipment; Models; Humans; Men; Women; Respiratory-protection; Respiratory-protective-equipment;
Author Keywords: Respiratory protection; Fit test; Health care worker; N95 respirator fit; Multiple donnings; Respirator reuse
Contact
Ronald E. Shaffer, PhD, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Building 29, PO Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
RShaffer@cdc.gov
Priority Area
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Source Name
American Journal of Infection Control
