AccuFIT 9000™ is a new RFT that uses a single mode of operation to perform fit tests on all respirator types including N95.

If you’re in construction, maritime, hydraulic fracturing, or other general industries using silica, the new silica standard and silica dust should matter to you. Chances are, you could be getting exposed to dangerous respirable silica dust that you can’t even see. And, what you can’t see, can hurt you.

What are the big headlines in the respiratory protection world this year? Here are three areas safety and health professionals are watching closely.

“This year we’re getting particular about protection against particulates,” declares the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on its N95 Day 2018 web page, which it is using to promote the proper use of the widely used NIOSH-certified respirators.

At least 17 large fires are burning across California, and dozens more throughout other Western states, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres, sending toxic pollutants into the air and contaminating water supplies. The air quality in certain areas — particularly near California's massive Mendocino Complex Fire in the northern part of the state — is among the worst officials have ever seen.

Animal data has hinted that nanoparticles can hop the barriers from in the lungs to ride in the bloodstream. But researchers didn't know if that applied to humans. For a new study, researchers recruited 14 healthy male volunteers to breathe in gold nanoparticles of varying sizes for two hours in a chamber where they also did moderate exercise on a stationary bike.

If there is any one thing that creates a win-win with respiratory protection, especially in terms of return on investment, it is comfort. We will discuss how comfort improves safety and productivity, and explore some of the best ways to ensure comfort.

As usual, AIHce offers many opportunities to learn about new products via “learning pavilions” on the expo floor. The pavilions have various presenters throughout the day, continuing each day of the conference, who showcase their latest products and technology while answering questions. Software and intelligent technology were on display Monday.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – the government agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses – has rolled out some tools to enhance the safety of those working in nanotechnology. This relatively new science has exploded in popularity in recent years, as scientists and engineers find more and more uses for engineered nanomaterials, which may be stronger and more lightweight and offer increased control of light spectrum and greater chemical reactivity than their larger-scale counterparts of the same composition.