Why Respirators and After-market Parts Don’t Mix

Do supplied-air respirator users at your workplace ever swap original hoses with different sized hoses? A recent notice from NIOSH says it’s a bad idea. Here’s why:

• Using non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM) hoses that are sized differently can result in too little or too much breathing air being delivered to the face piece.
• Hoses that have not been subjected to NIOSH-approved quality assurance program may have other performance features that are not compatible for proper performance of the respirator.
• Respirators are approved by NIOSH as a single unit. Replacing NIOSH-approved parts, components and accessories with non-approved parts manufactured by another company voids the NIOSH approval.
• A modified configuration may void the manufacturer’s product warranty.
• Using non NIOSH-approved respirators places the employer at risk of citation and fines by OSHA, because OSHA requires the use of NIOSH-approved respirators.

Learn how to identify NIOSH Approved respirators.

• Respirator types and uses (NIOSH)
• Visit the OSHA Respiratory Protection page
• Review OSHA respiratory protection standards
• Browse Respirator safety signs and labels at ComplianceSigns.com