Cleaning and Disinfection Perceptions and Use Practices Among Elastomeric Respirator Users in Health Care

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brown CH ; Chang J ; Frisch M ; Gucer P ; Hines SE ; Hogan R ; McDiarmid, Melissa A. ; Oliver M ; Roth T
• Description:
  Background: Reusable elastomeric respirator use in health care may represent one solution to address N95 respirator shortages experienced during infectious disease outbreaks, but cleaning and disinfection requirements may limit their utility. Evidence of respirator cleaning and disinfection behaviors and practices by health care workers may inform guidance on reusable respirator use. Methods: Medical system elastomeric respirator users were surveyed about respirator cleaning and disinfection practices and perceptions via an electronic survey. Respondents were subsequently classified based on reported compliance with their assigned respirator use. To explore whether respirator cleaning and disinfection issues affected compliance with assigned device use, responses were compared between user groups and adjusted for covariates. Results: A total of 432 of 2,024 (21%) eligible elastomeric respirator users completed the survey. Most (>90%) reported that their respirator was clean, but only 52% reported that they always disinfect their respirators after use according to the hospital's expected practice. Only 40 respondents (9%) reported regularly cleaning the respirator with soap and water, in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Reporting of suboptimal decontamination practice was not associated with assigned device compliance, however, except among providers and respiratory therapists. Conclusion/Application to Practice: Although perceptions of cleanliness and adherence to expected decontamination practices during routine use did not appear to influence compliance with assigned respirator use overall, this did predict compliance among providers and respiratory therapists, both of whom have nonfixed workstations. Practical and effective strategies to assure easy access to and availability of clean reusable respiratory protective devices are needed to facilitate their use in health care respiratory protection programs. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Elastomers Health Personnel Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Cleaning Decontamination Disinfection Elastomeric Half-mask Respirators Elastomeric Respirator Health Care Health Care Workers Infection Control Personal Protective Equipment PPE Respiratory Protection Respiratory Protective Equipment Reusable Respirator

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• ISSN:
  2165-0799
• 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
• Volume:
  68
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068334
• Citation:
  Workplace Health Saf 2020 Dec; 68(12):572-582
• Contact Point Address:
  Stella E. Hines, MD, MSPH, Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, 11 South Paca Street, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
• Email:
  shines@som.umaryland.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  University of Maryland, Baltimore
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20140901
• Source Full Name:
  Workplace Health & Safety
• End Date:
  20170930
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4f2020eac3c3a35122f0a7542e6e1bb275b84213424c97db0a2516813a2f239da0c612574a3390b29a4cc851350ba5485fc25c73b925416298676a1cbbcff6bb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230501/cdc_230501_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 435.67 KB ]