Document wqX3RXopq6kGO0Ro7JLJ2Qmv6
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Respirator Committee industrial Hygiene Committee
April 23, 1979
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RECEIVED
APR 26 1979
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MEDICAL DIVISION
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To: From:
Respirator Coordinators D. T. Lefferts Building I 09 A
DISPOSABLE RESPIRATORS
Since returning to Chambers Works, I have reviewed many respirator
approval requests. Many have been written, but a few have been J.
handled by telephone. More often than not, the request centered on the 3M No. 8710 disposable respirator. I believe some general c 1 arification is in order.
The 3M Company markets several NI OSH-approved disposable respira
tors as weii as several resp i tutors not iiovlug N t 0 3H-app ruu 1 . 71. unapproved (net disapproved) respirators are for use for the comfort of the wearer.
These unapproved respirators are for such applications as:
* Protection from angoyance from grass seeds, pollen, soap powder, blood, bacteria, hair, wood slivers, etc.
* Protection from annoyance from foul, vapors and gases encountered by morticians, stockyard workers, sewer and sanitation workers, etc.
* -Protection from annoyance from "nuisance" or "inert" particulates at less than exposure limit concentrations.
The NIOSH-approved No. 8710 respirator is approved for fiberous particulates and for particulates whi ch cause pneumoconiosis and for nuisance particulates. Some materials which are in these ap proval categories are:
* Silica * Silicates (Talc, Kaolin, Bentonite,
Fuller's Earth, Mica, Cement) Coal
* __ G raphite
(* Asbestos *7 SUcTcTe
Diatomite,
Tripoli,
DUP 0904982
121 330 SC-DP-05885