Respiratory protective devices for the healthcare workers (literature review)

Abstract

Introduction. Healthcare practitioners are at increased risk of infection with infectious diseases, including the inhalation route. Healthcare practitioners use respirators of various designs providing different efficiency of protection. The purpose of the study was to improve efficiency of the respiratory protection of the healthcare practitioners in Russian Federation. There were analyzed available NIOSH publications, articles in journals Taylor & Francis, Oxford University Press, published materials of Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), and western training manuals. Differences in the requirements of the legislation were identified that increase the risk of infection in healthcare practitioners. There are no methods for assessing the risk level, and there are no specific requirements for selecting the respirator’s type that corresponds to the risk level. The employer is not obliged to provide the fit test for all employees. The respirator must be used timely, so it should not negatively affect the worker. But the average carbon dioxide concentration can exceed the STEL by more than two times. The certification requirements for respirators do not correspond to the conditions of their use in the hospitals. Respirators were not certified as means of protection against bioaerosols. Conclusions. Identified shortcomings in the respiratory safety of health care workers show possible ways to improve their protection by harmonizing national legislation with the best of existing Western requirements.