3m masks

[nativeMama]

I've been looking at masks this week, trying to decide which ones too get. I probubly only need one. Since I'm not going to let the kids out of the house, either my husband or I will have to be at home with the kids all the time anyway. Plus my hubby works in hospitals, doctors offices, and clinics repairing medical equipment, so he NEEDS a GOOD mask.

 

I've been looking at the 3M masks here

http://envirosafetyproducts.com/html/Subca.../6000series.htm

 

specifically the one about half way down with the pink filters. Does anyone know which filter to buy? Its hard for me to make heads or tails of these things.

[Guest Guest]

This is just my opinion but, the masks you are considering are for particulate filters, and it is my understanding that what you would need is a nano filter.

 

Look at the rating under the filters- P100 is the best low cost particulate filter yes, but you really want to get an N95 or N100.

 

I'm not sure but I don't think it matters that they are NIOSH rated; they still have to have an 'N' before the filter rating.

[nativeMama]

After reading your post, I finally just bite the bullet and looked it up :-) LOL

 

This is what I found

 

Respirators in this family are rated as N, R, or P for protection against oils. This rating is important in industry because some industrial oils can degrade the filter performance so it doesn’t filter properly.* Respirators are rated “N,” if they are Not resistant to oil, “R” if somewhat Resistant to oil, and “P” if strongly resistant (oil Proof). Thus, there are nine types of disposable particulate respirators:

 

N-95, N-99, and N-100;

R-95, R-99, and R-100;

P-95, P-99, and P-100

This came from the www.CDC.gov site direct link here

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/resp...s/respsars.html

 

I hope that helps someone else, I feel much better knowing that.

 

Thank you Nana!

 

 

Carrey

[Guest Guest]

Ah! It is beginning to make sense now, thanks! BUT! when used for protection from micro-organisms, particularly influenza virus, I still think the nano filters are recommended. 'Nano filters are specially made to filter out/kill (?) nano (size) particles.

 

Sooo... an N100 or P100 nano filter is what we should buy to help prevent contracting or spreading avian flu.

 

Oh yeah! You need goggles, too.

[Guest Guest]

At least, that is my interpretation of all I've read recently.

[nativeMama]

where would I find a NANO mask? I think I may be lost again. hmm off to look for nano masks.

[Guest Guest]

Just go down this page a few posts to 'Nanomasks, there is a lot of information as well as a link.

 

It's okay, we all have that problem until the lightbulb finally goes on...