Editing Personal protective equipment (section)

===Respirators===
{{main|Respirator}}
{{See also|NIOSH air filtration rating|N95 respirator}}
[[File:Air-Purifying Respirator.jpg|thumb|Air-purifying respirator]]
[[File:N95mask.jpg|thumb|[[N95 mask]]]]
Respirators are protective breathing equipment, which protect the user from inhaling contaminants in the air, thus preserving the health of their respiratory tract. There are two main types of respirators. One type of respirator functions by filtering out chemicals and gases, or airborne particles, from the air breathed by the user.<ref name=resp>[https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/respirators/ Respirators] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830084012/http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/respirators/ |date=2012-08-30 }}. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.</ref> The filtration may be either passive or [[Powered, air-purifying respirator|active (powered)]]. [[Elastomeric respirator|Gas mask]]s and [[respirator|particulate respirators]] (like [[N95 mask]]s)<ref name="N95surgical">{{cite web |title=N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks) |url=https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks |access-date=18 April 2020 |work=[[United States Food and Drug Administration]] |date=5 April 2020}}</ref> are examples of this type of respirator. A second type of respirator protects users by providing clean, respirable air from another source. This type includes airline respirators and [[self-contained breathing apparatus]] (SCBA).<ref name =resp/> In work environments, respirators are relied upon when adequate ventilation is not available or other engineering control systems are not feasible or inadequate.<ref name=resp/>

In the United Kingdom, an organization that has extensive expertise in respiratory protective equipment is the [[Institute of Occupational Medicine]]. This expertise has been built on a long-standing and varied research programme that has included the setting of workplace protection factors to the assessment of efficacy of masks available through high street retail outlets.{{Citation needed|date=January 2016}}

The [[Health and Safety Executive]] (HSE), [[NHS Health Scotland]] and Healthy Working Lives (HWL) have jointly developed the RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) Selector Tool, which is web-based. This interactive tool provides descriptions of different types of respirators and breathing apparatuses, as well as "dos and don'ts" for each type.<ref name=rpe>[http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/rpe-selector/ "Selecting the right Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) for the job"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108172553/http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/rpe-selector/ |date=2012-11-08 }}. Healthy Working Lives. 2008-4-4</ref>

In the United States, The [[National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health]] (NIOSH) provides recommendations on respirator use, in accordance to NIOSH federal respiratory regulations 42 CFR Part 84.<ref name=resp/>  The [[National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory]] (NPPTL) of NIOSH is tasked towards actively conducting studies on respirators and providing recommendations.<ref name=factsheet>[https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/factsheets/respfact.html CDC - NIOSH - Respirator Fact Sheet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928092148/https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/factsheets/respfact.html |date=2017-09-28 }}. The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory.</ref>

==== Surgical masks ====
{{see also|Source control (respiratory disease)}}
[[Surgical masks]] are sometimes considered as PPE, but are not considered as respirators, being unable to stop submicron particles from passing through, and also having unrestricted air flow at the edges of the masks.<ref name="N95surgical"/><ref name="canada">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/respiratory_protection.html |title=Respiratory Protection Against Airborne Infectious Agents for Health Care Workers: Do surgical masks protect workers? |date=2017-02-28 |publisher=Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety |type=OSH Answers Fact Sheets  |access-date=2020-04-18}}</ref>

Surgical masks are not certified for the prevention of [[tuberculosis]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJ78QaLuSxIC | title=NIOSH Recommended Guidelines for Personal Respiratory Protection of Workers in Health-care Facilities Potentially Exposed to Tuberculosis | date=1992 }}</ref>