Thermal burden of N95 filtering facepiece respirators

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benson S ; Kim J-H ; Roberge R
• Description:
  Increased thermal perceptions that affect comfort are a leading reason for intolerance to wearing respiratory protective equipment. Despite their popularity and use for decades, relatively little is known about the thermal burden imposed by the use of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) at normal work rates. Twenty healthy subjects exercised at a low-moderate work rate for 1 and 2 h while wearing four models of N95 FFR (two with an exhalation valve) as core and skin temperatures were monitored wirelessly. N95 FFR use resulted in non-significant minimal increases in core temperature and uncovered facial skin (cheek) temperatures. Facial skin temperature under the FFR was significantly increased over baseline values (P < 0.001). Wearing N95 FFR for up to 2 h at a low-moderate work rate does not impose a significant thermal burden on core temperature and uncovered facial skin temperature but significantly increases the temperature of the facial skin that is covered by the FFR. Perceptions of increased body heat when wearing N95 FFR under the test conditions are likely not due to effects on core temperature but may relate more to warming of the facial skin covered by the respirator and warming of the inspired air. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Body Temperature Men Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety Skin Temperature Women
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Exhalation Valves Body-temperature Equipment-design Face-masks Filters Humans Humidity Monitors N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators Personal-protection Personal-protective-equipment Respiratory-protection Respiratory-protective-equipment Skin-sensitivity Temperature Temperature-effects Thermal-effects Thermal-reactions Thermal Burden

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• ISSN:
  0003-4878
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  56
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041307
• Citation:
  Ann Occup Hyg 2012 Aug; 56(7):808-814
• Email:
  dtn0@CDC.GOV
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Occupational Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:62bfdb61c25550329b8342a137290bb7fb04d20f161c7e0f5c43b36d59630420b08d80fa997a7eb3ce767a3f0acfa09cac59f3ac0e4ec30690d4a2e314b328b1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193908/cdc_193908_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 230.91 KB ]