Storage and Availability of Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brown C ; Chang J ; Frisch M ; Gucer P ; Hines SE ; Hogan R ; McDiarmid, Melissa A. ; Oliver M ; Roth T
• Description:
  Use of reusable respirators, such as elastomeric half-face respirators (EHFRs), may serve as one solution to combating the problem of N95 respirator shortages experienced during infectious disease emergencies. To clarify whether logistical issues like respirator storage and availability are barriers to implementation of healthcare respiratory protection strategies that include EHFRs, this study aimed to evaluate the availability, storage, and respirator and filter replacement practices of EHFRs used in healthcare settings under routine use. Healthcare workers using EHFRs were surveyed about their use practices. To explore whether issues related to storage and availability of EHFRs affected compliance with assigned respirator use, responses were compared between concordant users and EHFR users who were assigned to use EHFRs but currently use different respirators ("discordant users"). Most concordant EHFR users reported that their respirator was always available when needed (63.8%). Almost two-thirds of concordant but only half of discordant users reported storing their EHFRs conveniently in the patient care area (p= <0.001). Among mobile workers, discordant users had higher odds (aOR=3.2, 95% CI [1.4,7.5]) of reporting that their respirator was not stored in the patient care area, suggesting that storage location has a significant impact on compliance with expected practice, particularly in this group. Storage and access are barriers to optimal elastomeric respirator use in healthcare. Strategies to assure ready availability and storage of respirators will permit EHFR inclusion in pandemic and routine respiratory protection programs. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Elastomers Health Personnel Influenza, Human Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Hospital Preparedness/Response Elastomeric Half-mask Respirators Health Care Workers Infection Control Influenza Personal Protective Equipment PPE Respirator Shelf Life Respiratory Protective Equipment
• ISSN:
  2326-5094
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  384-392
• Volume:
  17
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068488
• Citation:
  Health Secur 2019 Oct; 17(5):384-392
• Contact Point Address:
  Stella E. Hines, MD, MSPH, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 11 South Paca Street, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201
• Email:
  shines@som.umaryland.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  University of Maryland, Baltimore
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20140901
• Source Full Name:
  Health Security
• End Date:
  20170930
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:03215c56d589c10928c7e53dddd7fbc619083c1ce88e240eaabcbedc3e8e505ff44f825985f5e05862a302247fc1e8665b4ed6a693a9618a8d6094f36083bf6b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207104/cdc_207104_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 164.03 KB ]