Current Issues in the Assessment of Respiratory Protective Devices for Occupational and Non-Occupational Uses Proceedings of a Workshop (2021) / Chapter Skim
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7 Addressing Research and Communication Gaps
7 Addressing Research and Communication Gaps
Pages 93-110
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From page 93... ...
will be educating workers, employers, and the general public about the different types of RPDs available. In a session moderated by planning committee member Tener Veenema of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, three speakers discussed the public understanding of respiratory protection, explored the human factors and systems engineering perspective on RPDs, and described concerns relating to the use of respirators by the general public.
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From page 94... ...
However, research is ongoing into how to increase the number of individuals who will be able to achieve proper respirator fit, Jones added. Research will need to be complemented by effective communication strategies about the importance of a properly fit respirator, Jones explained.
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From page 95... ...
This research, Jones said, could then be used to inform guidance on the effective use of workplace respiratory protection among small employers or e mployers that do not have established health and safety programs. A HUMAN FACTORS AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE ON RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Ayse Gurses, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, offered a human factors and systems engineering perspective on issues related to the use of RPDs by nontraditional users.
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From page 96... ...
Macroergonomics also uses participatory ergonomics to design interventions in a manner that increases acceptance of those interventions. Respiratory Protection Devices as a Component of the Sociotechnical Work System Gurses said that nontraditional users of RPD vary in terms of physical characteristics, anthropometric characteristics, cognitive characteristics, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and user behaviors as well as in terms of age, preferences, degree of trust, culture, comfort, perceived workload, and perceived ease of use, usefulness, and feasibility.
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From page 97... ...
This system exists in "safety critical" work or living environments. In HFE, task–technology fit is a key consideration for safety critical work or living environments.
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From page 98... ...
Conceptual approaches to HFE of relevance include systems approaches, naturalistic decision making, distributed cognition, reliance engineering, high reliability, organizational learning, and implementation science. Methodological approaches include task analysis and cognitive task analysis; work system analysis, including in-depth understanding of the context of use; human-centered design; usability evaluation, including formative and summative evaluations; proactive risk analysis, including failure mode and effects analyses and what-if analyses; and participatory ergonomics and design.
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From page 99... ...
To ensure the success of new national strategies to support the use of RPDs among the public, these mechanisms must be maintained as new systems and devices are developed, she added. USE OF RESPIRATORS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC Barbara Materna, the chief of the Occupational Health Branch of the California Department of Public Health, explained that in her work as a certified industrial hygienist she has been involved with the use of respirators in health care under the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA)
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From page 100... ...
She has also worked on developing guidance for the Environmental Protection Agency's updated wildfire smoke guide regarding the use of respirators by the public or outdoor workers who have not been fit tested. Other emergencies where particulate hazards become an issue include volcanic ash from eruptions, mold exposure after floods, and infectious disease pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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From page 101... ...
She explained that during wildfire emergencies some jurisdictions broadcast messages warning against the use of respirators by those with pre-existing heart or lung conditions. However, during wildfire emergencies, those with heart or lung conditions may be the most in need of respiratory protection should they be outdoors in the presence of smoke or ash.
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From page 102... ...
Individuals frequently confuse devices worn as source control with respirators that are designed to protect the wearer from inhaling hazardous particles, Materna said. As a result, she added, it has been necessary to develop guidance to differentiate respirators, surgical masks, and cloth face coverings.
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From page 103... ...
In her research, both in this context and in patient safety, she has found that one organization will have various differences from another. Community health centers differ from academic centers, and the workflow and available resources vary from one organization to the next.
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Physician Respirator Knowledge and Medical Clearance Veenema relayed a question from a participant regarding the standards that physicians are using to clear workers in respiratory protection programs if those physicians know little about respirators. Furthermore, she asked whether these physicians are instructed on follow-up testing that would ensure the safe use of a respirator.
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From page 105... ...
Human Factors Engineering Veenema repeated the suggestion made by Gurses that the concepts of work imagined versus work done could be considered in addition to robust interdisciplinary science on RPDs. Using the example of workers in agriculture and landscaping who are exposed to hazards such as air pollution and wildfire smoke, Veenema asked how HFE can enhance successful respiratory protective device performance and programs for nontraditional w orkers.
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From page 106... ...
Recounting information presented by Stephanie Holm of the Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, he said that the physiologic impacts of wearing almost any type of respiratory protection are not severe. Balmes added that improperly designed cloth masks may have higher air flow resistance and might not perform as well as N95s or surgical masks, but there is very little evidence to indicate that wearing these masks results in negative physiological consequences.
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From page 107... ...
Additionally, Veenema recognized the time constraints at play, such as the urgent need to address the concerns related to the use of cloth face coverings by the public as soon as possible. Given the need to answer many of the questions raised by the workshop's speakers within the context of these time constraints, strategic prioritization and advocacy for targeted research will be the best path forward for optimizing public health impact, she added.
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From page 108... ...
Messaging and Awareness Holm said that educating both the public and medical professionals about respiratory health is a key concern. While the amount of training on RPDs may vary among medical professionals, most general providers know little more about respiratory protection than any member of the general public.
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From page 109... ...
D'Alessandro closed the meeting on a note of optimism, remarking that NIOSH and the occupational health community more broadly seem committed to expanding their mission to protect respiratory health in the workplace and beyond.
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