NIOSH air filtration rating

NIOSH air filtration rating
A 1996 NIOSH publication detailing the changes to respirator regulation after 42 CFR 84. (Read on Wikisource)
Other name(s)	NIOSH ratings
Regulated by	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Regulation	30 CFR 11, 42 CFR 84, ANSI Z88.7-2001
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This article is part of a series on
Respirators in the United States
Executive agencies involved
Summary Bureau of Mines (until 1969) MESA (until 1978) MSHA (until 1995/1998) OSHA NIOSH
Non-government bodies
ANSI AIHA NFPA
Respirator regulation
N95 NIOSH ratings ANSI K13.1-1973 OSH Act
Diseases mitigated by respirators
Silicosis Asbestosis Tuberculosis SARS COVID-19 Mental health 2024 H5N1
Misuse
N95 use during pandemics Counterfeit respirators Design Failure to use Beards Hierarchy of hazard controls
Related topics involving respirators
Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster Source control Self-contained breathing apparatus Chemical cartridge Elastomeric Disposable
Interwiki links Related media at Wikimedia Commons: Category:42 CFR Part 84 Category:30 CFR Part 11 On Wikisource: NIOSH TB guide 42 CFR 84 guide Changes in Occupational Safety Regs Will Permit Better Respirators to Protect Against Dust and Disease NIOSH Change Will Save Health Care Industry Millions Differences Between Part 11 and Part 84 For firefighters: SCBA cylinder advisory following exposure to acidic agents Terrorism and CBRN defense (with SCBAs) meeting by NIOSH, circa March-April 2001 Flashover postmortem—with information on SCBAs Counterfeit respirators: Letter to All Users of Supplied-Air Respirators Use of Unapproved Supplied-Air Respirators in the Paint Spray and Automotive Refinishing Industries Image on left: User seal check
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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.