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NIOSH air filtration rating

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NIOSH air filtration rating
Cover page, with various people wearing respirators
A 1996 NIOSH publication detailing the changes to respirator regulation after 42 CFR 84.
(Read on Wikisource)
Other name(s)NIOSH ratings
Regulated byNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Regulation30 CFR 11, 42 CFR 84, ANSI Z88.7-2001

The NIOSH air filtration rating is the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s classification of filtering respirators. The ratings describe the ability of the device to protect the wearer from solid and liquid particulates in the air. The certification and approval process for respiratory protective devices is governed by Part 84 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations (42 CFR 84). Respiratory protective devices so classified include air-purifying respirators (APR) such as filtering facepiece respirators and chemical protective cartridges that have incorporated particulate filter elements.

The NIOSH-provided classifications only cover the filtration of particles or aerosols, not the air-purifying respirator's ability to remove chemical gasses and vapors from air, which is regulated under 42 CFR 84 Subpart L. For chemical classifications, NIOSH, under 42 CFR 84, partially defers to American National Standard ANSI K13.1-1973, and others, for matters such as chemical cartridge color classification. All classifications assume that the respirator is properly fitted.

NIOSH ratings trademark

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mask and respirator market rapidly grew, along with counterfeit respirators.[1] NIOSH, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, filed a trademark application on June 17, 2020 for various 42 CFR 84 trademarks, including the N95, allowing NIOSH to enforce rules on counterfeit masks outside of rules defined in 42 CFR 84.[2][3] The trademarks were registered in 2022.[4]

It is illegal in the United States to use filtration terms coined under 42 CFR 84, or mark masks with the word 'NIOSH' without the approval of NIOSH. Information about approved respirators can be found in the NIOSH certified equipment list (CEL).[5]

Early NIOSH/USBM classifications

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30 CFR 14 Schedule 21

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Prior to the 1970s, respirator standards were under the purview of the US Bureau of Mines (USBM). An example of an early respirator standard, Type A, established in 1926, was intended to protect against mechanically generated dusts produced in mines. These standards were intended to obviate miner deaths, noted to have reached 3,243 by 1907. However, prior to the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster, these standards were merely advisory, as the USBM had no enforcement power at the time.[6] After the disaster, an explicit approval program was established in 1934, along with the introduction of combination Type A/B/C respirator ratings, corresponding to Dusts/Fumes/Mists respectively, with Type D blocking all three, under 30 CFR 14 Schedule 21.[7]

The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act establishing MESA (later MSHA),[8] the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, establishing NIOSH,[9] as well as other regulations established around the time, reshuffled regulatory authority for respirators, and moved regulations from Part 14 to Part 11 by 1972,[10] but nonetheless continued the use of USBM-era regulations.[7]

30 CFR 11

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Example Part 11 HEPA Label, TC-21C particulate, with approval for Dusts, Fumes, Mists, radionuclides, and asbestos
3M 6200 with magenta 'Dust-Fume-Mist Radionuclides Asbestos' (30 CFR HEPA) markings on the filters

Prior to the approval of 42 CFR 84, MSHA and NIOSH approved respirators under 30 CFR 11. Non-powered respirator filters were classified based on their design against a contaminant, including substances like Dusts, Fumes, Mists, radionuclides, and asbestos. Dust/Mist was usually tested with silica, and Fume was usually tested with lead fume. The most popular respirator filters were often referred to as DM (Dust/Mist) or DFM (Dust/Fume/Mist) in CDC and NIOSH literature as shorthand.[11] Non-powered filters were also classified under the HEPA specification, if applicable.[12]

Only 30 CFR 11 HEPA filters were permitted by NIOSH for the prevention of tuberculosis.[13]

NIOSH was concerned about users choosing inappropriate respirators, like confusion over choosing DM or DFM respirators with regards to particle penetration, so proposed Part 84 rules in 1994 dropped the contaminant/HEPA classification for most respirators in favor of three specifications, Type A, B and C, each representing filtration of 99.97%, 99%, and 95% respectively, with Type A proposed to be used in place of HEPA for non-powered respirators.[14][12]

(OBSOLETE) 30 CFR 11 efficiency levels[12]
Particulate Respirator
approval
Maximum
dust penetration
Minimum
efficiency level
Permitted for
TB
158.4 mg silica Single-use Dust/Mist filters 1.8 mg 98.86% No
158.4 mg, usually silica Replaceable Dust/Mist filters 1.5 mg 99.05% No
0.3 micron DOP HEPA (includes
Dust/Mist approval)[15]
N/A 99.97% Yes

Transition

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Historically, respirators in the US had generally been approved by MESA/MSHA/NIOSH under federal regulation 30 CFR 11. On July 10, 1995, in response to respirators exhibiting "low initial efficiency levels", new 42 CFR 84 standards, including the N95 standard, were enforced under a three-year transition period,[16] ending on July 10, 1998.[10] The standard for N95 respirators includes, but is not limited to, a filtration of at least 95% under a 0.3 micrometer[17] 200 milligram test load of sodium chloride. Standards and specifications are also subject to change.[18][10]

Once 42 CFR 84 was in effect, MSHA, under a proposed rule change to 30 CFR 11, 70, and 71, would withdraw from the approval process of rated respirators (outside of respirators used for mining).[19][20]

Current classifications

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42 CFR 84

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Example Part 84 Label, TC-84A particulate, with older NIOSH logo, for P100 respirator, equivalent to Part 11 HEPA.
People wearing 3M 2091 magenta P100 filters. Note that these filters do not block vapors.

Under the current revision of Part 84 established in 1995, NIOSH established nine classifications of approved particulate filtering respirators based on a combination of the respirator series and efficiency level. The first part of the filter's classification indicates the series using the letters N, R, or P to indicate the filter's resistance to filtration efficiency degradation when exposed to oil-based or oil-like aerosols (e.g., lubricants, cutting fluids, glycerine, etc.).[21][22][23] Definitions and intended use for each series is indicated below.[24]

  • N for not resistant to oil. Used when oil particulates are not present. Tested using sodium chloride particles.
  • R for resistant to oil. Used when oil particulates are present and the filter is disposed of after one shift. Tested using dioctyl phthalate (DOP) oil particles.
  • P for oil-proof. Used when oil particulates are present and the filter is re-used for more than one shift. Tested with DOP oil particles.

The second value indicates the minimum efficiency level of the filter. When tested according to the protocol established by NIOSH each filter classification must demonstrate the minimum efficiency level indicated below.

NIOSH particulate respirator class minimum efficiency levels[21]
Particulate Respirator class Minimum efficiency
level
Permitted for TB
NaCl (N) or DOP (R,P) N95, R95, P95 95% Yes
N99, R99, P99 99%
N100, R100, P100 99.97%

All respirator types are permitted for TB.[25][14] Class-100 filters can block asbestos.[26] For N type filters, a 200 mg load of NaCl is used, with an undefined service time. For R type filters, a 200 mg of DOP is used, with a defined service time of "one work shift". For P type filters, an indefinite amount of DOP is used until filtration efficiency stabilizes.[27] P100 filters, under 42 CFR part 84, are the only filters permitted to be magenta in color.[28]

HE (high-efficiency) labeled filters (described in the subsection) are only provided for powered air-purifying respirators. HE-marked filters are 99.97% efficient against 0.3 micron particles and are oil-proof.[29][30][31]

Since filters are tested against the by definition most penetrating particle size of 0.3 μm, an APR with a P100 classification would be at least 99.97% efficient at removing particles of this size.[23] Particles with a size both less than and greater than 0.3 μm may be filtered at an efficiency greater than 99.97%.[32][33] However, this may not always be the case, as the most penetrating particle size for N95s was measured to be below 0.1 μm, as opposed to the predicted size of between 0.1 and 0.3 μm.[34]

2020 powered air-purifying respirator update

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PAPR
A person wearing a powered air-purifying respirator

42 CFR 84, from 1995 to 2020, copies 30 CFR 11 rules for PAPRs.[35]

The following table lists the air flow requirements for NIOSH-approved PAPRs under Part 84.175. Tight-fitting PAPRs may be fit tested with the facepiece unpowered and in negative-pressure (under 29 CFR 1910.134) while loose-fitting PAPR fit test protocols have not been changed from 30 CFR 11.[36]

Part 84 air flow requirements
Facepiece Air flow in
liters/minute
Tight-fitting 115
Loose-fitting 170

The following table lists the ratings for particulate ratings for Part 84 PAPRs.[36] PAPR100 ratings were added in 2020.[37]

NIOSH particulate classes for powered air-purifying respirators
Particulate Respirator
class
Minimum
efficiency level
Permitted for
TB
0.3 micron DOP HEPA or HE 99.97% Yes
0.075 to 1.86 micron NaCl PAPR100-N Rating
discontinued
0.075 to 1.86 micron DOP PAPR100-P
PAPR100-N is not designed to filter oil particulates, and the official color-coding for all three respirator types is magenta.[36]

Chemical cartridge and canister classifications

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Half-face air-purifying respirator with combination P100 particulate filter (magenta) and organic vapor (black) cartridge

Under 42 CFR 84, chemical cartridges and gas mask canisters are defined separately. Use of the TC-14G canister schedule or the TC-23C chemical cartridge schedule for a given respirator depends on whether "acid gas" is a designated contaminant, which is designated for gas mask canisters only, or if the manufacturer is obligated to list all designated contaminants supported by a given chemical cartridge.[38]

42 CFR 84 Subsection L describes seven types of chemical cartridge respirators with maximum use concentrations and penetration, noting that colors and markings are definitively based off of ANSI K13.1-1973.[21] A TB guide, published by NIOSH in 1999, describes 13 combinations of contaminants with unique color markings.[25] The definitive guide from ANSI, who, since the passage of 42 CFR 84 in 1995, has published a 2001 revision of K13.1-1973, named Z88.7-2001, describes 14 combinations of contaminants with unique color markings, based on 13 out of the 28 NIOSH Protection Designations.[39][40] The ANSI standard also notes that these classifications do not apply in aviation or military respirators.[40]

A comparison table below that details the NIOSH protection designations,[39] 42 CFR 84,[21] the Navy/Marine Field Manual,[41] the NIOSH TB guide,[25] and whether they match up with the (42 CFR 84-declared ANSI K13.1-1973 revision) ANSI Z88.7-2001 colors,[40] for each type of chemical cartridge is described below. Note that, while the 2001 revision to ANSI K13.1-1973 provides exact colors under the Munsell Color System,[40] colors and combinations outside the public domain, as well as cartridge/canister designation, have been omitted to facilitate this fair use comparison:

30 CFR 11 respirator
Purple Part 11 HEPA respirator with MSHA/NIOSH emblems
  1. ^ a b c d e See the NIOSH pocket guide for additional respirator use guidelines. Breakthrough concentration times can be calculated through the NIOSH MultiVapor tool, or OSHA math models.
  2. ^ For brevity, only combinations that are different from the TB guide are listed.
Person wearing purple 3M 7093 P100 cartridge filters

For particulate respirators, while NIOSH designates P100 as filter cartridges that can use the "magenta" color, ANSI designates P100 as "purple", a color which can be seen on some P100 filter cartridges. In addition, the 2001 revision to ANSI K13.1-1973 provides exclusive colors to be used for non-P100 cartridge filters, in two categories: oil-resistant (remaining R- and P- NIOSH ratings), and non-oil resistant (all N-ratings).[40]

Table of TC/BM approval schedules

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A half-mask air-line (TC-19C) respirator (From Wikisource)

NIOSH is the current regulator of all the respirators in this schedule, under 42 CFR 84.[14]

'BM' stands for the US Bureau of Mines, the historical regulator of respirators in the United States.

Approval schedules[41][38]
US Code Gas mask
(Canister[38])
Air-line SCBA Particulate PAPR Chemical
Cartridge
BM BM-14 BM-19 BM-13 BM-21 N/A BM-23
30 CFR 11 TC-14G TC-19C TC-13F TC-21C TC-21C TC-23C
42 CFR 84 (enacted) TC-14G TC-19C TC-13F TC-84A TC-21C TC-23C

TC-21C respirator approval numbers for negative-pressure particulate respirators have three digits, in the form: TC-21C-###, while TC-84A respirator approval numbers have four digits, in the form: TC-84A-####.[42] 42 CFR 84 (until 2020) did not change regulation regarding powered-air purifying particulate respirators, so have continued under TC-21C approval, with four digits, in the form TC-21C-####.[43]

NIOSH rating limitations

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NIOSH air filtration ratings do not test the fit of a respirator. Fit testing is required by OSHA for employers.[44]

Similar standards

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Classic collection efficiency curve with filter collection mechanisms

A few other jurisdictions use standards similar to the NIOSH scheme to classify mechanical filter respirators. They include:

  • China (GB 2626-2019): Similar testing requirements and grades. Has "KN" and "KP" resistance levels, 90/95/99. Has additional EU-like rules on leakage.
  • Mexico (NOM-116-2009): Same grades.
  • South Korea (KMOEL - 2017-64): EU grades, KF 80/94/99 for second/first/special

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Joskow, Paul L. (27 February 2022). "From Scarcity to Abundance: Complementary Government and Private Initiatives to Manage the Allocation of N95 Masks in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". 90006709.
  3. ^ "Counterfeit Respirators / Misrepresentation of NIOSH-Approval". NIOSH, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  4. ^ "NIOSH Registers Respirator Certification Marks with Patent and Trademark Office". American Industrial Hygiene Association. 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Counterfeit Respirators / Misrepresentation of NIOSH Approval". 23 May 2024.
  6. ^ Howard W., Spencer. "The Historic and Cultural Importance of the HAWKS NEST TUNNEL DISASTER" (PDF). American Society of Safety Professionals.
  7. ^ a b Spelce, David; Rehak, Timothy R; Meltzer, Richard W; Johnson, James S (2019). "History of U.S. Respirator Approval (Continued) Particulate Respirators". J Int Soc Respir Prot. 36 (2): 37–55. PMC 7307331. PMID 32572305.
  8. ^ "Federal Coal Mine and Safety Act of 1969". US Department of Labor, US Mine Safety and Health Administration.
  9. ^ US EPA, OP (22 February 2013). "Summary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act". www.epa.gov. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b c NIOSH Guide to the Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators Certified Under 42 CFR 84. 1996.
  11. ^ NIOSH Recommended Guidelines for Personal Respiratory Protection of Workers in Health-care Facilities Potentially Exposed to Tuberculosis. 1992.
  12. ^ a b c Spelce, David; Rehak, Timothy R; Meltzer, Richard W; Johnson, James S (2019). "History of U.S. Respirator Approval (Continued) Particulate Respirators". J Int Soc Respir Prot. 36 (2): 37–55. PMC 7307331. PMID 32572305.
  13. ^ "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Health-Care Facilities, 1994" (PDF). US Federal Register. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service 42 CFR Part 84" (PDF). US Federal Register. pp. 26850-26893. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Differences and Limitations Between Part 11 Particulate Respirators and Part 84 Particulate Respirators". NIOSH. 20 June 1996. Archived from the original on 31 December 1996.
  16. ^ "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service 42 CFR Part 84 RIN 0905–AB58 Respiratory Protective Devices" (PDF). US Federal Register. 8 June 1995. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  17. ^ "42 CFR 84 Respiratory Protective Devices". NIOSH. 25 August 1995. Archived from the original on 30 December 1996.
  18. ^ Note: the following source cites July 1, 1998 as the end date for the transition period, contradicting official NIOSH publications. Herring Jr., Ronald N. (1997). "42 CFR Part 84: It's time to change respirators... but how?". Engineer's Digest. pp. 14–23.
  19. ^ "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service 42 CFR Part 84" (PDF). US Federal Register. pp. 26850-26893. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  20. ^ "CHANGES IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY REGS WILL PERMIT BETTER RESPIRATORS TO PROTECT AGAINST DUST AND DISEASE". NIOSH. 2 June 1995. Archived from the original on 31 December 1996.
  21. ^ a b c d e "42 CFR Part 84 - Approval of Respiratory Protective Devices". ecfr.gov. United States Government Publishing Office. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Respirator Trusted-Source Information Section 1: NIOSH-Approved Respirators". The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 29 January 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  23. ^ a b "NIOSH Guide to the Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators". The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 6 June 2014 [January 1996]. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  24. ^ "OSHA Technical Manual Section 8VII: Chapter 2 Respiratory Protection Appendix 2-4". OSHA (TED 01-00-015 ed.). Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  25. ^ a b c d e "TB Respiratory Protection Program In Health Care Facilities Administrator's Guide" (PDF). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. September 1999. doi:10.26616/NIOSHPUB99143. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  26. ^ "NIOSH Pocket Guide - Asbestos". CDC. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  27. ^ "DHHS Pub 96-101 NIOSH Guide to the Selection & Use of Particulate Respirators Certified Under 42 CFR 84". NIOSH.
  28. ^ Herring Jr., Ronald N. (1997). "42 CFR Part 84: It's time to change respirators... but how?". Engineer's Digest. pp. 14–23.
  29. ^ "Considerations for Optimizing the Supply of Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs)". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 19 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  30. ^ Vanessa, Roberts (Fall 2014). "To PAPR or Not to PAPR?". Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy. 50 (3): 87–90. PMC 4456839. PMID 26078617.
  31. ^ "Understanding Respiratory Protection Against SARS". U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  32. ^ "NIOSH Guide to the Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators Appendix E: Commonly Asked Questions and Answers About Part 84 Respirators". The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 6 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  33. ^ "CDC - NIOSH Publications and Products - Appendices for 96-101". www.cdc.gov. 16 October 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  34. ^ Lee, Byung Uk; Yermakov, Mikhail; Grinshpun, Sergey A. (2005). "Filtering Efficiency of N95- and R95-Type Facepiece Respirators, Dust-Mist Facepiece Respirators, and Surgical Masks Operating in Unipolarly Ionized Indoor Air Environments" (PDF). Aerosol and Air Quality Research. 5 (1): 25–38. doi:10.4209/aaqr.2005.06.0003. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  35. ^ NIOSH Guide to the Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators Certified Under 42 CFR 84. 1996.
  36. ^ a b c "eCFR: 42 CFR Part 84". Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  37. ^ "Approval Tests and Standards for Air-Purifying Particulate Respirators". 14 April 2020.
  38. ^ a b c "STANDARD APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF RESPIRATORS" (PDF). NIOSH. January 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2003.
  39. ^ a b c d e f "LIST OF NIOSH STANDARD PROTECTIONS, CAUTIONS AND LIMITATIONS FOR APPROVAL LABELS" (PDF). CDC NIOSH.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g American National Standard for Color-Coding of Air Purifying Respirator Canisters, Cartridges, and Filters (PDF), American Industrial Hygiene Association, ANSI, 3 May 2001, archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2022, retrieved 3 July 2024
  41. ^ a b c "ndustrial Hygiene Field Operations Manual Technical Manual NMCPHC-TM6290.91-2 10 MAY 2021" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  42. ^ "Counterfeit Respirators / Misrepresentation of NIOSH Approval". CDC NIOSH NPPTL. 23 May 2024. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  43. ^ "NIOSH Guide to the Selection and Use of Particulate Respirators". CDC NIOSH. January 1996. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  44. ^ "Fit Test FAQs". 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.

Further reading

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Papers on Part 11

Papers on Part 84

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