Fraudulent Respirator Components Fail NIOSH Tests

A NIOSH pilot project subjected fraudulent respirator components to the agency’s rigorous testing and found that nearly all failed to meet performance requirements. The evaluation focused on P100 filters, organic vapor chemical cartridges, and combination cartridges that are falsely marketed and sold as NIOSH-approved devices. NIOSH purchased the components online and evaluated them on inhalation and exhalation resistance, filtration performance, and chemical penetration. Of 240 fraudulent P100 filters tested, only 20, or about 8 percent, passed NIOSH performance tests. The agency also tested 124 combination cartridges and eight chemical cartridges, all of which failed.

NIOSH presents the test results in a report that recently became available on the agency’s website. “This finding highlights the possibility that fraudulent products may provide consumers with a false sense of confidence that they are receiving the same level of protection as filters and cartridges that are part of a NIOSH Approved respirator configuration provide,” the report states.

Fraudulent respirator components often mimic the appearance of genuine components, typically through the misuse of NIOSH trademarks such as P100, an agency designation for filters that remove at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles, and NIOSH Approved, which indicates compliance with the quality assurance and performance requirements of 42 CFR Part 84. The report contains pictures of both fraudulent and genuine components, illustrating their close resemblance.

For more information, read the NIOSH report (PDF) and related descriptions of the testing conducted for P100 filters (PDF), combination cartridges (PDF), and chemical cartridges (PDF).

Users can confirm that a device or component is valid through the NIOSH Certified Equipment List. Earlier this year, NIOSH published a fact sheet that explains how to identify counterfeit and misrepresented respirators and cartridges.