Misleading Representation of the Use of Adhesive Seals as NIOSH-Approved

NIOSH Respirator User Notice

Issue Date: July 17, 2012

From: Heinz Ahlers, Chief, Technology Evaluation Branch, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory

Subject: Misleading Representation of the Use of Adhesive Seals as NIOSH-Approved

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wishes to inform respirator users that add on facial adhesive seals are not NIOSH-Approved. NIOSH is concerned that some web-sites (www.breathesafely.com) identify a number of “N95/P95” respirators by manufacturer name and model as “compatible” with an add-on adhesive seal. Currently these seals have not been evaluated by NIOSH, and the addition of such a seal to a NIOSH approved respirator creates a non-approved configuration.

A NIOSH approval is issued to a respirator configuration only after it has been evaluated and found to comply with all the requirements of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 84. Any addition or modifications to a NIOSH certified respirator renders the approval invalid.

Misleading Representation of the Use of Adhesive Seals as NIOSH-Approved [PDF – 21 KB]