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NIOSH approves first elastomeric half-mask respirator without an exhalation valve

December 1, 2020
4 Comments
NIOSH Personal protective equipment Respiratory protection
NIOSH

Washington — NIOSH has approved – for both personal protection and source control – the first elastomeric half-mask respirator without an exhalation valve.

In a Nov. 16 agency news brief, NIOSH acknowledges concerns that filtering facepiece respirators and EHMRs with exhalation valves “may allow unfiltered exhaled air to escape into the environment,” compromising the equipment’s effectiveness to protect others if the wearer has COVID-19.

NIOSH notes that exhalation in EHMRs without exhalation valves is possible because the equipment’s particulate filters meet agency requirements, “thereby allowing it to also serve as a means of source control since it will maintain the high level of filtration upon exhalation.”

NIOSH published in the Sept. 14 Federal Register a Request for Information on the deployment and use of EHMRs in health care settings and emergency medical services organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial comment period was slated to end Oct. 14, but the agency extended it to Dec. 14.

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Noting EHMRs’ low cost, ease of use, and ability to be cleaned and decontaminated, NIOSH anticipates the widespread use of the respirators will ease the demand for single-use N95 respirators in health care settings that are experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

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Name
February 2, 2021
I'm not finding this story very helpful to the consumer. It's great I suppose that "NIOSH approves first elastomeric half-mask respirator without an exhalation valve". But as someone who may wish to use such an item, we must know exactly what it is. We need to know manufacturer, model numbers, where it can be purchased etc. Leaving out that information makes this whole story, basically worthless.
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Name
February 4, 2021
The story is not for the general consumer, and neither is this particular respirator, which can only be purchased by institutional customers, directly from the manufacturer.
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Name
February 5, 2021
These kind of journals try not to play favorites. I've been using one with a homemade exhalation filter since, when I told my doctor I had one said, "Why are you fooling around with masks, when you have a respirator!" I have a 3M 7500. I use P100 filters with them. Be careful when you shop, there are a lot of counterfeits. The real ones come from an established dealer, mine was from an auto body supply shop and cost around $40 for the mask and I paid $30 for the filters. You can get both of the "same things" on ebay for $20 which are counterfeit. YYou aalso need either a mask or safety glasses with side shields if you use the half mask, like I do.
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Carmen Johnson
March 10, 2021
The name of the Company is MSA and here's the link to the video that the company made about the development of the respirator https://us.msasafety.com/healthcare#watchVideo
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