Current PPE situation

[Krazykarl]

For those who need medical PPE while at work, how is your current PPE situation? We started off with new N95 masks that we were fit tested for, decent gowns that actually inspired some confidence, and face shields to fit over everything for advanced airway management. Now we have drifted into refurbished n95 masks that have supposedly been treated with peroxide. New n95 masks are no longer being issued. The gowns are paper thin and often tear when tieing up and when exerting to move a patient or performing CPR. I do appreciate the effort that administration is taking to protect us. I know that we have better PPE than the hospitals. We were warned that changes would be made as the summer progressed. We are just not happy about the refurbished n95 masks and the condition that they come back in. I don't know who these masks were originally fitted for. Just not very comforting.

[Phillygunguy]

For those who need medical PPE while at work, how is your current PPE situation? We started off with new N95 masks that we were fit tested for, decent gowns that actually inspired some confidence, and face shields to fit over everything for advanced airway management. Now we have drifted into refurbished n95 masks that have supposedly been treated with peroxide. New n95 masks are no longer being issued. The gowns are paper thin and often tear when tieing up and when exerting to move a patient or performing CPR. I do appreciate the effort that administration is taking to protect us. I know that we have better PPE than the hospitals. We were warned that changes would be made as the summer progressed. We are just not happy about the refurbished n95 masks and the condition that they come back in. I don't know who these masks were originally fitted for. Just not very comforting.

Im a physician assistant and I do COVID testing at the urgent Care I work for. At the beginning of COVID we had shortages of PPE, now we have a mix of Chinese n95 masks and others from 3m. The gowns suck, we have ones that feel like you're wearing a sheet of plastic over your body. They tear easily too. I use an n95 with a surgical mask over it. It's doable,but annoying. I have been able to change my n95 masks when they get soiled. We were told to reuse our masks and face shields for as long as possible and not to loose them as they are in limited supply. The biggest thing I hate is being outside in the hot sun testing people. but that's a topic for another discussion

[Evel Baldgui]

We have, thankfully, have had no issues with PPE availability. Medical staff does use non-disposable N99 masks and the filters are changed monthly. Admin and non OR nursing staff do use N95 and standard surgical masks. In additional staff use gowns and face shields, all of which are in ample supply.

[WickedWillis]

I run a welding supply store. We usually carry tons of PPE, N95, P100 niosh masks, etc. We were told that from 3m (our main supplier) we might not get anything re-stocked by the end of the year.

N95's seem to be the toughest to come by in our area.

[Krazykarl]

We are authorized to only wear a certain model of n95 as we were fit tested for them. Rumor has it that a different manufacturer of n95 has been sourced and thus we will have to be fit tested again. We get fit tested all the time for SCBA use. Yearly requirement. But the n95 mask requires a different type of fit test. I wonder how many medical personnel are now mandated to be clean shaven?

[mrbieler]

The media for N95 masks is in extremely low supply. Production capacity is fine. Raw media is the issue. The synthetic material used for N95 masks is also the base material for the MERV13 pleated filters everyone is trying to order for schools, offices, and homes. Kimberly Clark and a few other sources are selling all they can make right now.

[Arik]

Im a physician assistant and I do COVID testing at the urgent Care I work for. At the beginning of COVID we had shortages of PPE, now we have a mix of Chinese n95 masks and others from 3m. The gowns suck, we have ones that feel like you're wearing a sheet of plastic over your body. They tear easily too. I use an n95 with a surgical mask over it. It's doable,but annoying. I have been able to change my n95 masks when they get soiled. We were told to reuse our masks and face shields for as long as possible and not to loose them as they are in limited supply. The biggest thing I hate is being outside in the hot sun testing people. but that's a topic for another discussionIn this case wouldn't being outside add another layer of protection? No longer indoor confined space without air movement and plenty of UV light!

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[john armond]

We are authorized to only wear a certain model of n95 as we were fit tested for them. Rumor has it that a different manufacturer of n95 has been sourced and thus we will have to be fit tested again. We get fit tested all the time for SCBA use. Yearly requirement. But the n95 mask requires a different type of fit test. I wonder how many medical personnel are now mandated to be clean shaven?

29 CFR 1910.134 states it is illegal for an employer to allow an employee to wear a tight fitting respirator (N95, SCBA, Gas Mask etc) without being properly fit tested, medically cleared, AND you must have no facial hair coming between the sealing surface of the respirator and your skin, or which can interfere with any valve function.

Basically you must be clean shaven before being fit tested, and if you grow your facial hair back you are no longer certified to wear the respirator, until you shave again.

There is an actual picture chart that says yay or nay for all sorts of facial hair acceptability. Pretty much all beards are out, but a lot of mustaches are good, while a lot are not. The names are pretty funny too. The Hitler/Charlie Chaplin “Toothbrush” mustache is actually on the chart as allowed, but the “villain” also on the chart (picture a silent movie where the bad guy ties a girl to the train tracks) is out.

OSHA has continually been updating their guidance on fit testing since the Beer Virus started.

I personally fit tested probably more than 500 employees when this whole thing kicked off. The pushback I got from a lot of them was ridiculous because they didn’t want to shave. I would say 98%+ of the people I fit tested are no longer certified to wear a respirator because they grew their facial hair back. Then they get mad when I tell them they can’t work an on a Beer Virus case for extra money because they are no longer certified to wear an N95. The ironic thing is, the ones doing the most bitching about shaving in order to wear the proper PPE were the loudest ones screaming they wanted “hazard pay.”

There is also no religious exemption for the OSHA law. One of our Muslim chaplins had to shave the beard he had for 40 years. He was one of the few to do it without any complaining beyond something to the effect of jokingly saying: not sure what my wife is going to think.

[Phillygunguy]

In this case wouldn't being outside add another layer of protection? No longer indoor confined space without air movement and plenty of UV light!

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I'm not so worried about COVID as I am getting heat stroke.
The plan is to move indoors