N 95 Masks Questions

[Mongoose]

Oddly, no one wants my masks. I guess they expired a couple of years ago. I did not know these n-95 masks had an expiration date.

Bill

That is a manufacturer provided date. NIOSH doesn't require it and there are studies showing as long as they are in good condition and stored properly, age is not a factor. Donate them to your local first responders. That's what I did.

From the CDC
The respirators exceeding their manufacturer-designated shelf life are only being released due to the potential urgent demand caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency. In the face of this emergency, the U.S. Government believes that the respirators beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life should provide greater respiratory protection than surgical masks (i.e., medical masks) alone, improvised mouth and nose covers (e.g., bandanas), or no protection at all. Please note that surgical N95s are normally tested for fluid resistance and flammability. These requirements were not evaluated in this study. CDC does not recommend using N95s beyond the manufacturer-designated shelf life in surgical settings.

Prior to using these expired respirators, consideration should be given to acquiring other NIOSH-approved respirators including all types of filtering facepiece respirators, elastomeric respirators, or powered air purifying respirators as described in the Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators. This recommendation is made because healthcare services are essential and must continue in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. Users of N95s that have exceeded the manufacturer-designated shelf life should be notified before their use and the importance of inspection and user seal checks should be reemphasized.


(i) Preliminary findings – NIOSH performance standards

• The majority of respirator models tested continued to meet performance standards regardless of the facility from which they were sampled.
  • 3M 1860 (8 facilities), 3M 1870 (3 facilities), 3M 8210 (3 facilities), 3M 9010 (3 facilities), 3M 8000 (4 facilities), Gerson 1730 (3 facilities), Medline/Alpha Protech NON27501 (1 facility), Moldex 1512 (1 facility), and Moldex 2201 (1 facility).

 

[easyrider]

That might be because of the elastic. That dries out and crumbles. I don't know if the face part is of materials that degrade. New elastic might revive them. They could also be fitted inside the homemade cotton masks coming.

They look like new. We use these in remodeling projects. I haven't really needed to use many of these for the last 4 years so they might be about 6 - 7 years old. I grabbed a few for some demolition and drywall sanding the other day and I didn't notice anything wrong with them.

Bill

 

[Mongoose]

They look like new. We use these in remodeling projects. I haven't really needed to use many of these for the last 4 years so they might be about 6 - 7 years old. I grabbed a few for some demolition and drywall sanding the other day and I didn't notice anything wrong with them.

Bill

The CDC says use them, they are better old than not having them at all. Think about local EMS or volunteer fire or police.

 

[easyrider]

That is a manufacturer provided date. NIOSH doesn't require it and there are studies showing as long as they are in good condition and stored properly, age is not a factor. Donate them to your local first responders. That's what I did.

From the CDC
The respirators exceeding their manufacturer-designated shelf life are only being released due to the potential urgent demand caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency. In the face of this emergency, the U.S. Government believes that the respirators beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life should provide greater respiratory protection than surgical masks (i.e., medical masks) alone, improvised mouth and nose covers (e.g., bandanas), or no protection at all. Please note that surgical N95s are normally tested for fluid resistance and flammability. These requirements were not evaluated in this study. CDC does not recommend using N95s beyond the manufacturer-designated shelf life in surgical settings.

Prior to using these expired respirators, consideration should be given to acquiring other NIOSH-approved respirators including all types of filtering facepiece respirators, elastomeric respirators, or powered air purifying respirators as described in the Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators. This recommendation is made because healthcare services are essential and must continue in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. Users of N95s that have exceeded the manufacturer-designated shelf life should be notified before their use and the importance of inspection and user seal checks should be reemphasized.


(i) Preliminary findings – NIOSH performance standards

• The majority of respirator models tested continued to meet performance standards regardless of the facility from which they were sampled.
  • 3M 1860 (8 facilities), 3M 1870 (3 facilities), 3M 8210 (3 facilities), 3M 9010 (3 facilities), 3M 8000 (4 facilities), Gerson 1730 (3 facilities), Medline/Alpha Protech NON27501 (1 facility), Moldex 1512 (1 facility), and Moldex 2201 (1 facility).

I will call around.

Bill

 

[Rolltydr]

I agree! I did not say that didn't! Geez....

Sorry, Winni. I’m just getting frustrated with this thread. From the very beginning of this virus reaching the US, the CDC and medical community has been saying the masks aren’t recommended for the general population. This isn’t new information. They’ve been saying for 2 months that it won’t help that much because people don’t know how to wear them properly and are constantly touching their face adjusting the masks. Medical personnel are trained to use them. Also, they have known for that long that there would be a critical shortage if the number of people infected spreads here as it did in Europe and Asia. That has come to pass and, indeed, they are having to beg for masks as they reuse the ones they do have.


Harry

 

[Old Hickory]

When will the N-96 be coming out?

N-95, N-96...whatever it takes?

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

N-95, N-96...whatever it takes?

metric version
LOL

 

[CPNY]

Handy if your place is on fire, tho.

I’ll wet a towel then