FULL LINE CATALOG Home / Resources / FAQs – Respiratory Protection Products FAQs – Respiratory Protection Products Be advised that some of these FAQs & Tech Briefs apply to U.S. Regulations, but may be of interest to users in other countries. Outside of the USA, check with all applicable and local government regulations. What are the regulatory agencies involved with respiratory protection? Which respirators should be used for protection against TB? Do Moldex® Particulate Respirators contain latex? What is a fit test? Is a user seal check the same as a fit test? How is a user seal check performed? How is a qualitative fit test conducted? What is a “qualitative” fit test? What else does OSHA require? What maintenance and care is required for respirators? How long can a particulate respirator be used before it must be discarded? If employees have a beard or moustache, is their respirator still effective? What type of respirator should I use for welding? What type of respirator should I use for silica? Sandblasting? What can I use for isocyanates? Can I use another brand of cartridge or filter on your 8000 Series Half mask? Can I use your industrial respirators for a hospital environment with exposures to TB? Can I modify the respirator for a more comfortable fit? Can Moldex®‘s “How to Set Up A Respiratory Program” be used for setting up a program using other brands of respirators? When should you change the N95 Healthcare Respirator? What respirator does Moldex® suggest for mold spores? Can I still use irritant smoke to fit test Moldex® half face respirators? What respirator does Moldex® recommend for cigarette smoke? Is the 2200N95 Series rated for TB? Of what material is the 8000 facepiece made? How can I tell if my respirator is certified under new regulations? What is “quantitative” fit test? If the exposure level to a contaminant is under the OSHA PEL, can I allow my employees to use a Moldex® disposable filtering facepiece such as the 2300N95 or 2700N95? Why does Moldex® have “Use By/Expiration Dates” on your respiratory protection products? Are the Moldex® Standard Strap respirators, such as the #2200N95 or #1500N95 adjustable? Can I use your Moldex® Industrial Respirator for Volatile Organic Vapors (VOC’s) exposure? Which Moldex disposable respirators contain no metal components? What does Moldex suggest we do to clean either the Qualitative Fit Test “Bitter Fit-Test Kit #0102” or the Quantitative Kit #7006 when using the TSI PortaCount during Covid-19 or other type of infectious diseases? Do Moldex disposable air-purifying respirators meet any heat or flame resistance standards? Do Moldex respirators contain graphene? 1. What are the regulatory agencies involved with respiratory protection? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the agency that enforces health and safety regulations in the workplace. In this situation, OSHA determines the appropriate respiratory protection for specific hazards and enforces its use. NIOSH regulates the manufacture and testing of respirators, but does not control their use. OSHA only allows the use of NIOSH certified respirators. return to questions 2. Which respirators should be used for protection against TB? The minimum acceptable class of respirator for protection against TB is N95. Depending on the actual exposure conditions, higher classes of respirators may be appropriate, e.g. N99 or N100. Each healthcare situation must be evaluated by a health professional. You may also want to refer to NIOSH’s publication entitled Protect Yourself Against Tuberculosis-A Respiratory Protection Guide for Health Care Workers (publication # 96-102) and TB Respiratory Protection Program In Health Care Facilities: Administrator’s Guide. Also, refer to: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/ Tuberculosis Tech Brief Disposable Respirators return to questions 3. Do Moldex® Particulate Respirators contain latex? The cloth straps on our HandyStrap® and SmartStrap® Series respirators contain latex. All our other models (2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2310) also contain latex. Persons highly sensitive to natural rubber latex may have an allergic reaction. 1500N95 series do not contain latex. return to questions 4. What is a fit test? Fit testing is a way of ensuring that a respirator fits each individual wearer. Fit testing requires a subject to wear a respirator and another person to administer the test. There are two types of fit tests, quantitative and qualitative. A qualitative test is a pass/fail test that relies on the individual’s response to the test agent such as isoamyl acetate (banana oil), irritant smoke, saccharin or Bitter. Quantitative fit tests assess the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. This test requires sophisticated monitoring instruments. OSHA Fit Testing Procedures (Mandatory) – 1910.134 App A: return to questions 5. Is a user seal check the same as a fit test? A user seal check is not the same as a fit test. It is used to determine if the respirator has correctly sealed before a contaminated work area is entered. It does not take the place of a fit test (which is a method that can be used to select the right size of respirator for the user or determine the adequacy of fit). A user seal check is required each time the respirator is donned whereas a fit test is required at least annually. OSHA User Seal Check Procedures (Mandatory) – 1910.134 App B-1 return to questions 6. How is a user seal check performed? A user seal check should be performed by the wearer prior to entering a contaminated area. For disposable respirators, the subject cups both hands over the front of the respirator and then inhales sharply. A negative pressure should be felt inside the respirator. If any leakage is detected at respirator edges, straps should be adjusted by pulling them back along the sides and/or repositioning the respirator. For a reusable elastomeric facepiece, the cartridges are covered by the hands and the subject gently inhales and holds his breath. The facepiece should slightly collapse. If air leakage is detected, readjustment of the mask and/or straps is required. The user seal check should be repeated until the respirator seals to the face. If the proper fit cannot be obtained, the wearer should not enter the contaminated area and should contact their supervisor. Moldex® Fitting Instructions return to questions 7. How is a qualitative fit test conducted? A test administrator challenges a subject wearing a respirator with a test aerosol. The subject dons the respirator and a fit test hood. The test aerosol (such as saccharin or Bitter) is sprayed inside the hood while the subject performs prescribed exercises. If the subject can taste the test agent, the respirator fails the test and another respirator must be tested. Prior to conducting the test, the administrator must determine if the subject can detect the test agent. If the subject can’t detect the test agent, another one that can be detected must be used. The fit test procedure requires about 15 to 20 minutes. Fit Testing Videos Moldex® Qualitative Fit Test Instructions return to questions 8. What is a “qualitative” fit test? A qualitative fit test is a pass/fail test that relies on the employee’s response to a test agent. If the employee tastes the test agent, the test is failed. The OSHA protocols include saccharin, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), Bitter and irritant smoke. Fit Testing Video OSHA Fit Testing Procedures (Mandatory) – 1910.134 App A return to questions 9. What else does OSHA require? OSHA requires all employers, providing respirators to their employees, to have a comprehensive respirator protection program in place. This includes, but is not limited to, written standard operating procedures, training, medical surveillance and fit testing. For more information, refer to 29 CFR 1910.134 or call the Moldex® Technical Services Dept. for assistance in setting up a respiratory protection program. Fit Testing Video return to questions 10. What maintenance and care is required for respirators? The employer must provide for the cleaning and disinfecting, storage, inspection and repair of respirators used by employees according to the procedures in 29CFR1910.134. return to questions 11. How long can a particulate respirator be used before it must be discarded? Respirator filters, whether disposable or reusable, in some cases can be used for extended periods of time. In other cases, they must be discarded at the end of each shift or sooner. You should always refer to the time use restrictions specified by the manufacturer or regulation. All filters must be replaced whenever they are damaged, soiled, or causing noticeably increased breathing resistance (i.e., causing discomfort to the wearer). Before each use, the outside of the filter material should be inspected. If the filter material is physically damaged or soiled, the filter should be discarded. Employers must develop standard operating procedures for storing, reusing respirators or disposing of respirators that have been designated as disposable. return to questions 12. If employees have a beard or moustache, is their respirator still effective? Tight-fitting facepiece respirators which include filtering facepieces such as Moldex® must not be worn by employees who have facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face. Respirators that do not rely on a tight face seal, such as hoods or helmets, may be used by bearded individuals. Always refer to your employer’s respiratory protection program policy. Additional Information: OSHA link. return to questions 13. What type of respirator should I use for welding? There are so many different types of welding environments and applications to consider. But in general, in non-confined spaces, areas free of oil and where a substance specific standard does not exist, any of the Moldex® N Class respirators could possibly be used such as the 2300N95 Series, 2700N95 Series, 2310N99 and 2315N99. Where nuisance levels of either ozone or organic vapors below the OSHA PEL might be present, the Moldex® 2400N95, or 2800N95 is suggested. In areas with oil, the Moldex® 2740R95 may be used. Also wear appropriate eye and face protection. SEE Moldex® TECH BRIEF: Welding Fumes and for more detailed information. return to questions 14. What type of respirator should I use for silica? Sandblasting? You CANNOT use any Moldex® product for sandblasting. Where exposure to silica occurs other than sandblasting, Moldex® respirators can be considered. There are different classes of silica with different TLV’s or PEL’s. Refer to the latest Moldex® Chemical Selection Guide for more information on a respirator recommendation. TECH BRIEF: Silica return to questions 15. What can I use for isocyanates? You CANNOT use any Moldex® respirator for exposures to isocyanates. Refer to Moldex® Tech Brief: Isocyanates. return to questions 16. Can I use another brand of cartridge or filter on your 7000, 7800, 8000 OR 9000 Series reusable respirators? NO, you cannot interchange parts from different brands of respirators or substitute any other parts from another respirator manufacturer. Refer to the actual respirator instruction manual and or respirator user guide for more details. return to questions 17. Can I use your industrial respirators for a hospital environment with exposures to TB? YES, however all our industrial respirators do contain materials with natural rubber or latex. Please refer to our N95 Healthcare Particulate Respirators & Surgical Masks that are specifically manufactured for healthcare settings and do not contain latex. return to questions 18. Can I modify the respirator for a more comfortable fit? NO! Do not modify or alter any respirator. See your supervisor and do not enter the area if you can not obtain a good or comfortable fit. return to questions 19. Can Moldex®‘s “How to Set Up A Respiratory Program” be used for setting up a program using other brands of respirators? The program contains specifics about Moldex® respirators, but the actual program can be used to write a program for customers that use other brands of respirators. return to questions 20. When should you change the N95 Healthcare Respirator? When the user comes into any contact with bodily fluids, saliva or blood change the respirator immediately. You must also follow the policy of your infection control department. return to questions 21. What respirator does Moldex® recommend for mold spores? There is no PEL for mold spores. Contact your local health department for a recommendation. SEE Moldex® TECH BRIEF: Mold for more detailed information. return to questions 22. Can I still use irritant smoke to fit test Moldex® half face respirators? Although Irritant Smoke (Stannic Chloride) is an OSHA accepted method of fit-testing, we recommend that you consider using Bitter (Denatonium Benzoate) as your qualitative form of fit-testing. Moldex® does offer a Bitter Qualitative Fit Test Kit, part #0102, please refer to our website link below. Also, referenced in the NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic 2004 B.2 page 4 of document (DHHS-NIOSH Publication No. 2005-1000); “NIOSH endorses all provisions of OSHA’s 29 CFR Part 1910.134, as published on January 8, 1998, except that NIOSH does not recommend (a) the use of irritant smoke for qualitative respirator fit testing…” References: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-100/pdfs/2005-100.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2005100 Moldex® Bitter Qualitative Fit Test Kit: https://www.moldex.com/respiratory-protection/accessories/fit-test-kit.php return to questions 23. What respirator does Moldex® recommend for cigarette smoke? Moldex® DOES NOT have a recommendation for cigarette smoke. return to questions 24. Is the 2200N95 Series rated for TB? YES, The CDC’s minimum required for respiratory protection is any particulate respirator certified under 42 CFR 84. However, most of our industrial respirators do contain materials with rubber or latex. Please review the links below on our N95 Healthcare Particulate Respirators & Surgical Masks that are specifically manufactured for healthcare settings and do not contain latex. Also, refer to: Disposable Respirators for Healthcare return to questions 25. Of what material is the 8000 facepiece made? It is made from thermal plastic elastomer. The 8000 Facepiece contains latex (the exhalation and inhalation valve and the straps contain latex). return to questions 26. How can I tell if my respirator is certified under new regulations? The TC# should start with TC-84A_____. Although some chemical gas/vapor cartridges still have a TC-23C approval number which are approved under 42CFR84, you may also search the approval on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List. return to questions 27. What is “quantitative” fit test? A quantitative fit test measures the adequacy of a respirator’s fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. The OSHA protocols include use of a PortaCount®, CNC or CNP test. See the Moldex® PortaCount® Loan Program. return to questions 28. If the exposure level to a contaminant is under the OSHA PEL, can I allow my employees to use a Moldex® disposable filtering facepiece such as the 2300N95 or 2700N95? Yes, an employer can provide respirators for voluntary use. You should refer to OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard for further details. References to voluntary use can be found in 29CFR1910.134 (c)(2) and in Appendix D to the standard. Additional Information: OSHA link. return to questions 29. Why does Moldex® have “Use By/Expiration Dates” on your respiratory protection products? All Moldex® respiratory protection products have “Use By” or “Expiration Dates” on them. These dates are placed on the product packaging as they are manufactured. This is intended to assist our customers who use and sell our products to deplete older inventory first and to protect users where the performance of the product may have been affected by unknown storage conditions. If this date is passed, or the product packaging is not intact, we recommend that the product NOT be sold or used. return to questions 30. Are the Moldex® Standard Strap respirators, such as the #2200N95 or #1500N95 adjustable? No, they are not designed to be adjustable, you should not attempt to pull the strap through the staple to adjust the tension, this may result in breakage of the strap and could result in an inconsistent fit when donning one mask to another. We do manufacture a line of disposable respirators that are designed with an adjustable strap, please refer to the following link: https://www.moldex.com/product/4600/ https://www.moldex.com/product/4800/ https://www.moldex.com/product/ez22/ https://www.moldex.com/product/ez23/ https://www.moldex.com/product/2315/ https://www.moldex.com/product/4700/ https://www.moldex.com/product/4300/ https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/disposable-respirators/p100/ return to questions 31. Can I use your Moldex® Industrial Respirator for Volatile Organic Vapors (VOC’s) exposure? Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds that easily become vapors or gases and evaporate into the air. VOCs are released from burning fuel such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, or commonly used consumer products. VOCs combine with nitrogen oxides from vehicle exhaust and can form smog. The list below are common products that may have the potential to release VOC’s: Solvents Paints and thinners Adhesives Dry cleaning fluids Glues Wood preservatives Cleaners Building materials and furnishings There are also many other chemicals used in industry which are VOCs. This category also includes many specific toxic substances, such as benzene, butadiene, hexane, toluene, xylene, and others. When the substance exceeds the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) set by OSHA 29CFR 1910.1000 or any other state, local or government regulations then a NIOSH certified respirator with organic vapor capabilities may be advisable. In such cases it is the employer’s responsibility to perform air samples to determine the appropriate level of protection (i.e. half mask, full face, PAPR, or supplied air respirators). They must then ensure that a cartridge can adequately remove the contaminant and develop a change out schedule. When a respirator is required by the employer the wearer must be part of a comprehensive respiratory protection program in accordance with 29CFR1910.134 including, but not limited to proper training, fit testing, medical evaluation and maintenance. OSHA PEL Annotated Table 1 lists some common VOCs, their Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) concentration, flashpoint temperature, and their exposure limits per the OSHA PEL, Cal OSHA PELs and other recommended limits. When the exposure concentrations are below the PEL for a VOC then a nuisance organic vapor disposable type respirator may be used. When using a Moldex product you must also refer to the Moldex Chemical Selection Guide to be determine if we suggest any of our respirators for the VOC in question. Moldex Possible Solutions: Reusable Respirators: https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/reusable-respiratory-protection/ Disposable Respirators: https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/disposable-respirators/ OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits – Annotated Tables: https://www.osha.gov/dsg/annotated-pels/ Change out schedules: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/respirator_selection_advisorgenius.html NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/ OSHA Occupational Chemical Database: https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/ return to questions 32 . Moldex has several disposable respirators that contain NO metal components. Please see links below: HandyStrap: https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/disposable-respirators/disposable-respirators-by-strap/handystrap/ SmartStrap: https://www.moldex.com/product-category/respiratory-protection/disposable-respirators/disposable-respirators-by-strap/smartstrap-the-best-disposable-respirator/ return to questions 33. What does Moldex suggest we do to clean either the Qualitative Fit Test “Bitter Fit-Test Kit #0102” or the Quantitative Kit #7006 when using the TSI PortaCount during Covid-19 or other type of infectious diseases? We suggest that you develop a protocol as part of your respiratory protection program per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. Moldex also recommends that you discuss cleaning/sanitization with your Infection Control or your Respiratory Protection Manager. For further useful information please see links below: a) OSHA 1910.134: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134 b) OSHA: https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus c) FDA: “List N Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19)” – https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-coronavirus-covid-19 d) CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Forganizations%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html e) We source the Bitter Fit Test Kit and components from Allegro Industries and they can provide guidance on disinfecting the components. They may be reached at: email: techsvc@allegrosafety.com Phone: (800) 622-3530, web: https://www.allegrosafety.com/ f) TSI – PortaCount provides guidance on disinfecting the components of the Portacount. Phone: (800)-680-1220, (651) 490-2860 web: https://tsi.com/home/ return to questions 34. Do Moldex disposable air-purifying respirators meet any heat or flame resistance standards? Yes, they have been tested to and meet heat and flame resistance in accordance with ANSI/ISEA 110-2009 SECTION 7.11.1. Reference: ANSI/ISEA 110-2009 – https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/isea/ansiisea1102009 7.11 Flammability 7.11.1 RPED shall be tested for heat and flame resistance as specified in Section 9.11, Flammability Test. Components of the RPED shall not have any afterflame after 5 seconds. 7.11.2 RPED shall be tested for heat and flame resistance as specified in Section 9.11, Flammability Test. No RPED component shall drip, melt, or develop a hole that is visible to the unaided eye; or be damaged in a manner that exposes eyes or lungs to gas or smoke. 7.11.3 After having been tested for heat and flame, the RPED shall be evaluated for vision as specified in Section 9.11.8. The 20/100 vision lines shall be legible. 9.11 Flammability Test 9.11.1 The RPED shall be fitted on the test head. If the RPED is not equipped with a head harness, the material in an appropriate clamping device shall be included such that the material is horizontal. 9.11.1.1 Testing shall be conducted using the test equipment as specified in Section 8.5.2, Flammability, EN 136, Respiratory Protective Devices, Full Face Masks, Requirements, Testing, Marking, 1998 edition. 9.11.2 The distance between the outer surface of the RPED and the burner tips shall be adjusted to 250 ± 6.4 mm. 9.11.3 The temperature of the flame positioned 250 ± 6.4 mm above the burner tip shall be 800 ± 50°C. 9.11.4 The RPED shall be rotated once through the flame at a linear speed measured at the flame position of 6 ± 0.5 cm/s. 9.11.5 Where components such as valves, filters, etc. are arranged on other parts of the RPED, the test shall be repeated with these components at the appropriate height of 250 ± 6.4 mm above the flame. 9.11.6 The RPED shall be observed for any after flame, and the afterflame duration shall be recorded to determine pass/fail as specified in Section 7.11.1. 9.11.7 To determine pass/fail as specified in Section 7.11.2, the RPED shall be observed for any dripping, melting, or hole development and shall be evaluated for any damage to components that exposes eyes and lungs to gas or smoke. 9.11.8 A test subject having visual acuity of 20/20 in each eye, corrected or uncorrected shall don the hood. The test subject shall be positioned at a distance of 6.1 m (20 ft) in front of a standard 20 ft. eye chart illuminated at 100-150 foot-candles. The test subject shall then attempt to read the 20/100 line to determine return to questions 35. Do Moldex respirators contain graphene? No. Moldex disposable filtering face-piece or reusable elastomeric respirators DO NOT contain graphene. Reference: Health Canada – Facemasks that contain graphene may pose health risks – https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/75309a-eng.php Identification Number: RA-75309 Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at tech@moldex.com, phone: 800-421-0668, ext. 512, 301 or 550. return to questions CATEGORIES Reusable Respirators Reusable Hearing Protection Disposable Hearing Protection Disposable Respiratory Protection REFERENCES Selecting The Correct Respirator Setting Up A Respiratory Protection Program Important Information Regulatory Information Instructional Resources FAQs – Respiratory Protection Products © 2021 Moldex-Metric. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Limited Warranty Our Company Jobs Contact Sitemap