Which organization is responsible for assigning protection factors to respirators?

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the organization designated to assign protection factors to respirators. NIOSH conducts rigorous testing and evaluations of respiratory protection devices to ensure they effectively protect workers from airborne hazards. Each respirator is given a specific protection factor, which indicates how many times the respirator can reduce exposure to hazardous materials compared to without respiratory protection.

This information is crucial for employers and safety professionals in selecting the appropriate respiratory protection based on the level of exposure expected in a given work environment. Understanding the protection factors helps ensure that respirators provide adequate protection according to the nature of the hazards present.

Other organizations mentioned, like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT), have their own roles relating to safety regulations and guidelines but do not assign protection factors to respirators. OSHA, for example, sets requirements for respiratory protection programs and enforces standards but relies on NIOSH for respirator testing and rating.