VIA Cal-OSHA Reporter The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is ordering a recall of a specific type of N95 respirator and Cal/OSHA is advising employers not to use the respirators if employees cannot pass fit-tests on them.
In October, the state released millions of respirators from its stockpile to local public health departments so that health-care facilities could protect workers from exposure to the H1N1 influenza virus. Fit-tested N95 filtering facepiece respirators are recommended for workers in direct contact with patients with suspected or confirmed cases of H1N1. The recall affects 3M 8000 respirators, which comprise "the majority of the state stockpile, unfortunately," says Deborah Gold, senior safety engineer for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). CDPH has asked local health departments to stop providing the respirators to health-care facilities and is developing procedures for the return of remaining supplies. Read more from Cal-OSHA
