NIOSH is reiterating its long-held stance that N95 filtering facepiece respirators fit a broad range of work situations requiring respiratory protection, noting that surgical masks don't provide the same protection. The research agency also emphasizes that hazards should be eliminated through engineering, or by removing the hazard altogether, before respirators are necessary -- but says when they are needed it's important to make the right decisions regarding their use. The agency says in a science blog that so-called N95 Day is “a time to recognize the importance of respiratory protection in
