Simulated Workplace Protection Factor of Facepiece Filtering Respirators and Surgical Masks Against Surgical Smoke

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gao S ; Grinshpun SA ; Yermakov M
• Description:
  Introduction: Use of electrocautery and other surgical equipment generates surgical smoke in operating rooms (ORs). The smoke contains a variety of substances in gaseous and especially particulate phases that are capable of causing health effects in healthcare workers. Disposable protection devices such as surgical masks and filtering facepiece respirators are commonly used by the OR healthcare personnel; however, no information is available about their effectiveness against surgical smoke. Scientifically credible data are needed to develop recommendations on the types and models of respirators that provide appropriate protection against surgical smoke particles. Objectives: Determine the simulated workplace protection factors (SWPFs) of two surgical masks and two NIOSH-certified N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) currently marketed for use in ORs. Measure SWPFs on ten human subjects while they are exposed to surgical smoke generated by an electrocautery unit applied to an animal tissue in a room-size chamber. Methods: Each subject wearing a surgical mask or a FFR applied an electrocautery unit to the animal tissue mimicking a conventional surgical procedure in an exposure chamber (24 m3). The aerosol sampling probes were installed inside and outside the tested respiratory protection device to measure the aerosol concentrations inside (Cin) and outside (Cout), respectively, using an optical particle counter (OPC) (Model 1.108, Grimm Technologies, Inc., Ainring, Germany) and an aerosol size spectrometer (Nanocheck, Model 1320, Grimm Technologies, Inc., Ainring, Germany). The SWPF were determined as Cout/Cin. Results: The following SWPFs values were obtained (the number represents a geometric mean with a geometric standard deviation presented in parentheses): 1.49 (1.95) and 1.76 (1.71) for two surgical masks; 263 (2.16) and 208 (2.31) for FFRs. No significant difference was observed between the two surgical masks; similarly no significant difference was found between the two N95 FFRs. However, the SWPFs of FFRs were significantly higher than those measured for surgical masks. No notable particle size dependency of the SWPF was observed; it is partially due to high between-subject data variability. Conclusions: Wearing N95 FFRs significantly reduces the exposure to surgical smoke in an OR environment. The protection offered by the tested surgical masks was very low. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Hospitals Occupational Health Particulate Matter Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory System Safety
• Keywords:
  Health Care Facilities Health Care Personnel Health Care Workers Hospital Equipment Particulate Filtering Facepiece Respirators Particulates Personal Protective Equipment PPE Respirator Selection Respiratory Irritants Smoke Inhalation Surgery Surgical Masks

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• Publisher:
  The University of Utah
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052085
• Citation:
  13th Annual Regional National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Young/New Investigators Symposium, April 16-17, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: The University of Utah, 2015 Apr; :11
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  13th Annual Regional National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Young/New Investigators Symposium, April 16-17, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:44cd04ff32b25da5117ee8d97705f6de2f3c52390cfa09c98187c6014702fa2e1c39f56fc6e063632e4fd89046a5fffb9ad2e38dabefb805feaafb08b64ffc41
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211684/cdc_211684_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 99.40 KB ]