What is the Difference Between a N95 Mask and a N95 Respirator?

Facepiece Filter Respirators

The NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) has released and approved different products, specifically particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Some of these filtering facepiece respirators are mostly worn as a part of the personal protective equipment needed, especially now that the pandemic is widespread. These facepiece respirators protect their users by filtering out the particles from the air their users are breathing. 

In total, there are currently seven approved NIOSH filtering facepiece respirators. These seven approved filtering facepiece respirators are:

1. N95 Respirator – The N95 respirator is the most common respirator among the seven types of the approved respirator of the NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health). This respirator is specifically designed to have a tight facial fit to prevent the users from any leakages if worn correctly. N95 respirator filters out at least 95% of the airborne particles. However, this type of respirator is not resistant to oil.

2. N99 Respirator– N99 respirator is also designed to have a tight facial fit for the user. This type of respirator filters out the 99% of particulate matter found in the air. Since this respirator filters out 99%, the degree of its protection that it offers is relatively higher than the N95 respirator. Although it filters out 99% of the airborne particles, the 1% that slips through this respirator is often dangerous enough to cause harm to the wearer. 

3. N100 Respirator– This N100 respirator can filter out 99.97% of the airborne particles but is not resistant to oil. Because it can filter out 99.97% of the air particles, this undeniably provides reliable respiratory protection. Slight traces of particles may still slip through this type of respirator, but it is not harmful enough for the user.

4. R95 Respirator– Like the N95 respirator, the R95 respirator filters out 95% of airborne particles. The only difference is that this type of respirator is somewhat resistant to oil which contrasts the N95.

5. P95 Respirator – This type of Respirator filters out 95% of airborne particles and is firmly oil resistant.

6. P99 Respirator – This respirator is classified as oil-proof and filters out 99% of airborne particles.
7. P100 Respirator – A strongly oil-resistant type of respirator and can filter out 99.97% airborne particles.

N95 Mask Vs. N95 Respirator

After knowing that respirators may vary in their oil resistance and the percentage of airborne particles they can filter out, we now should differentiate N95 Mask and N95 Respirator. To be clear, whether you use an N95 mask or an N95 Respirator, both of these still filters out the same percentage of airborne particles, which is 95%.

N95 respirator also has its subtype, one of which is the N95 mask. An N95 mask such as L-188 N95 is a disposable mask, one of the many types of an N95 Respirator. The disposable N95 mask, often referred to as a surgical N95 respirator, is mainly preferred by healthcare workers. The surgical N95 respirator mask is a subset of the N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators. Healthcare workers often use this type of N95 respirator to protect themselves from the infectious aerosolized droplets from the patient or the environment.

With the widespread cases of the CoronaVirus worldwide, it is not just the healthcare workers who wear this kind of respirator. Because of the pandemic, everyone is advised to have their personal protective equipment, especially when going outside their home premises and in a crowded area. This type of mask gives a close-fitting to the face. It somehow provides more protection than the regular surgical mask, which is designed as loose-fitting. 

Advantages of N95 Mask 

Unlike the other full gear respirators, the N95 mask, a subtype of an N95 Respirator, is disposable, making it more convenient. Here are some lists of the advantages an N95 mask provides:

1. Lightweight – Aside from the high degree of protection an N95 mask gives, the convenience it provides is also undeniable. Since this mask is designed to be lightweight, it is very convenient for storage and transport.
2. Disposable – Since this type of N95 respirator is disposable, the users can easily replace it with a new one as long as it is available in the market. Since this kind of N95 respirator is disposable, this can easily be replaced when it gets spoiled and when it has been in contact with any bodily fluids. 
3. Comfortable – With its lightweight feature, it has become more comfortable to use this type than any other. Aside from being made from a comfy material, this also gives a close facial fit, making it more comfortable than any ordinary surgical mask. 
4. Cheap – Most full gear respirators cost a lot which differs from this type of N95 mask. This type of mask is made more affordable, especially for people on a tight budget but still want to be protected in the best possible way.