What does N95 mean?
There have been many different types of face masks, or filtering facepiece respirators (FFR), surfacing over the last few months. With the demand arguably being higher than it ever has been, obtaining one of these respirators is currently very difficult. In some cases, individuals and businesses are required to wait months before receiving them. This has created a gap in the market to allow a large variety of various different respirators to emerge. Choosing between the FFR that best fits your needs can be confusing. Attached to these masks are usually a performance standard certification that most are not familiar with, such as DS2, KMOEL, P2, FFP2, and the more common N95 and KN95. While these certifications have been prevalent for years, most individuals are being exposed to these terms for the first time. The N95 certification class is the standard used in the United States that passes specific tests that include filter performance, inward leakage, inhalation resistance, and more. Below is a chart from 3M, a Fortune 500 company founded in 1902 that manufactures FFRs:
Picking the best respirator for you relies solely on the purpose in which you intend on using it, whether it be a safety requirement at work or just personal protection while in public. Gathering information is the best way to help you decide. Please use this article as one of many resources to help you make the decision that best fits your needs.