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occupational health branch

Respirator Selection Guide for Home Projects

Respirators help protect you from breathing in harmful dusts and chemical vapors ​​while working on projects. Repeated exposure to unhealthy levels of dusts and ​​vapors can cause serious health problems. You can help prevent this by choosing ​​the right respirator.​

Choosing the Right Respirator

Disposable N95 Respirator​​

​Reusable (Elastomeric) Respirators

NIOSH-approved N95 respirator
Reusable respirator
  • ​Good for protection against dusts
  • Does not protect against gases and vapors
  • ​ Uses replaceable cartridges for different ​chemical exposures and dusts.​

Reusable Respirator Cartridge Options

Reusable respirator cartridge options 

​The table below will help you choose the right respirator or cartridge for your project. If you​​ have more questions on respirator selection for your project, contact the respirator ​​manufacturer for advice. For additional safety information on a specific product, consult the ​manufacturer for the product’s safety data sheet. 

Respirators should always be used with other protection measures such as proper ​​ventilation (fresh air), filtration and local exhaust.

Applications for different types of respirators and respirator cartridges 
Cartridge Change Out: Replace when damaged, dirty,  or harder to breathe through. For chemicals
with an odor, it’s best to change the cartridge before you can smell it. 


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