Abstract
Background: Respiratory protection relies heavily on user compliance to be effective, but compliance among health care personnel is less than ideal. Methods: In 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs formed the Project Better Respiratory Equipment using Advanced Technologies for Healthcare Employees (BREATHE) Working Group, composed of a variety of federal stakeholders, to discuss strategies for improving respirator compliance, including the need for more comfortable respirators. Results: The Working Group developed 28 desirable performance characteristics that can be grouped into 4 key themes: (1) respirators should perform their intended function safely and effectively; (2) respirators should support, not interfere, with occupational activities; (3) respirators should be comfortable and tolerable for the duration of wear; and (4) respiratory protective programs should comply with federal/state standards and guidelines and local policies. As a necessary next step, the Working Group identified the need for a new class of respirators, to be called "B95," which would better address the unique needs of health care personnel. Conclusion: This article summarizes the outputs of the Project BREATHE Working Group and provides a national strategy to develop clinically validated respirator test methods, to promulgate B95 respirator standards, and to invent novel design features, which together will lead to commercialized B95 respirators.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1224-1230 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | American Journal of Infection Control |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Infection control
- N95
- Occupational health
- Personal protective equipment
- Respiratory protection
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases