Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers
Helping Protect You, So You Can Protect Them
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Your safety is essential in order to deliver care to your patients. Even in a time of constrained resources, you show up for them. You care for them. You protect them. As we navigate through this time of change together, we share a common goal: Making respiratory protection the highest priority.
You rely on us for respiratory protection. We continue to increase production to meet ongoing demand as you continue care and as elective procedures return. It’s all part of our shared mission to transform outcomes, which starts with helping protect you, so you can protect those in your care.
Respiratory Protection Resources
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COVID-19 Pandemic and Respiratory ProtectionWith supply challenges around the world, many facilities are looking to optimize their equipment. Read more information on use and reuse of N95 respirators.
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Understanding Respiratory ProtectionWe know you have questions related to PPE. We are here to provide guidance on the different types of PPE, understanding proper use and protecting your skin from extended PPE use.
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Respiratory Protection Product OptionsFrom disposable and reusable respirators to powered air-purifying respirators, explore the range of respiratory protection options that are available for use in healthcare environments.
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Fit Testing SupportFit testing is a critical part of your respiratory protection program. Click below to learn more about fit testing and resources available to help ensure your team’s safety.
Looking for Industrial respiratory protection?
View Industrial Safety ProductsRespiratory Protection Featured Information
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Respiratory Protection Product AvailabilityWe are fully committed to helping fight the spread of COVID-19 by supporting healthcare works around the world. This pandemic is affecting all of us, and we are doing everything we can to support public health–including doubling our global output of N95 respirators and getting them to healthcare providers on the front lines of the pandemic.
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Respiratory Protection SeriesJoin our experts to take a deeper dive into respiratory protection topics to help reduce risks in the fight against COVID-19.
Part 1: Respiratory protection options and proper technique for donning and doffing
Part 2: Fraudulent activity, imported respirators, decontamination methods and skin protection
Part 3: A closer look at FEMA – Imported respirators from Asia
Part 4: Respirator implementation considerations
3M Respirators in International Packaging Made Available in U.S. during COVID-19 pandemic
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3M is continuing to address the COVID-19 pandemic with many tactics to help protect those responding to the outbreak, including healthcare workers and first responders. In early April, 3M reached an agreement with the U.S. government on a plan that, with the Trump Administration’s assistance, will enable FEMA to import 166.5 million respirators into the United States from our plants in Asia.
Click here for more information if you have received 3M respirators in international packaging
Top Frequently Asked Questions on Respiratory Protection
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What is the difference between Standard (non-surgical) N95 Respirators and Surgical N95 Respirators?
Standard and surgical N95 respirators are both designed to help reduce the wearer’s exposure to airborne particulate hazards. In addition, surgical N95 respirators are FDA cleared as a medical device and can be used as a fluid barrier to splashes and sprays. Standard and surgical N95 respirators are both NIOSH-approved.
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What is the difference in intended use with a Standard (non-surgical) N95 Respirators, Surgical N95 Respirators and Surgical Mask?
N95 Respirators are designed to help reduce the wearer’s exposure to airborne particles.
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Can I reuse my mask (standard/surgical) or N95 respirator (standard/surgical)
3M does not recommend reuse of disposable masks or respirators when utilized in environments where SARS-CoV-2 could be present. Particles containing viruses, bacteria, etc. get captured on the N95 respirator filter fibers during use and remain on the fibers after use. Handling or storing the mask or respirator might result in further spread of the biological particles.
CDC guidelines provide strategies for optimizing the supply of respirators, including reuse: When supplies of N95 respirators are depleted, a combination of approaches can be utilized to conserve supplies while safeguarding health care workers (see full CDC document here).
There is no way of determining the maximum possible number of safe reuses for an N95 respirator. Safe N95 reuse is affected by several variables that impact respirator function and contamination over time. The decision to implement policies that permit extended use or limited reuse of N95 respirators should be made by the professionals who manage the institution’s respiratory protection program.
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What is an elastomeric respirator?
An elastomeric respirator is a reusable piece of personal protective equipment with exchangeable filters. When properly selected and worn, reusable respirators effectively filter airborne particulate hazards. They are designed to fit tightly to the face and can be cleaned and reused.
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What is a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)?
PAPRs are a type of respirator that use a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements. When properly selected and worn, PAPRs effectively filter airborne particulate hazards. They are designed to fit over some facial hair and they are available in a variety of styles and facepiece/headtop offerings.
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What is the respiratory protection for surgical applications?
It is the responsibility of the healthcare organization to determine acceptability of any respirator to help protect their personnel and ensure compliance with the respiratory protection program requirements of the U.S. Federal and/or State OSHA. The healthcare organization must also determine which tasks are considered “surgical procedures,” and if respiratory protection is required for these surgical procedures, they would need to use FDA-cleared surgical N95 respirators for those tasks and a parenthetical (or other configurations approved for emergency use).
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Where are the millions of N95 respirators you’re producing going?
Since the pandemic began, 3M has worked with authorized distributors to deliver hundreds of millions of respirators to frontline health care workers and first responders around the world. Within individual regions and countries, 3M works with governments, health agencies, distributors and others to prioritize supplies to the most critical needs. The reality is the demand for respirators will continue to exceed supply for the foreseeable future. We have huge increases in demand for some of our products. Some health care facilities have increased their consumption of PPE by up to 20 times. While we can deliver more products as we invest in more manufacturing infrastructure to serve the public, demand severely outstrips supply.
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How many N95s are being delivered to which state and when?
Since the pandemic began, in the U.S., 3M has delivered nearly 100 million N95 respirators directly to hospitals and more than 100 million to FEMA and the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. We are working with state governments, FEMA, and others to prioritize, triage and redirect supplies to serve the most critical needs.
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If a hospital needs respirators, how can they get what they need from 3M?
U.S. hospitals in need of respirators should work through their primary distributor and FEMA. Our distributor network represents the most efficient way to get products.
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Additional 3M programs
As your facility continues to return to work and open accessibility to procedures, 3M is dedicated to providing you with the information needed to help keep people protected at every touchpoint.
