Worker compensation claims begin with an injury or an illness acquired at the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) works to minimize the types of events that end up causing those claims.
One recent initiative was N95 Day, intended to call attention to the importance and use of respirators in a variety of workplace settings.
According to NIOSH, a face respirator, usually the N95 filtering face-piece respirator is important workplace equipment. Protecting wearers against airborne transmission of pathogens and infectious diseases, N95 respirators are used by:
- Physicians, nurses, aides and others in the healthcare industry
- Food care industry workers
- Lab and research technicians
- Housekeeping and maintenance workers in health care industries
NIOSH approves all respirators used in the health care industry. Using a NIOSH-approved respirator protects your health, the health of co-workers and carries out your employer’s safety protocols. Keep these points in mind when using a respirator:
- Use only a respirator marked with a NIOSH approval number, trademark or other NIOSH-approved identifying information.
- If your respirator does not appear to be approved by NIOSH, it could be counterfeit and may not provide the needed protection.
- Do not mark up or color your respirator.
- Altering the respirator for a more comfortable fit could compromise the purpose of the equipment and expose you to health hazards.
Stay safe on the job by using the right safety equipment. If you are injured, we provide skilled advice on Worker compensation claims.