Volume 13, Number 5—May 2007
Research
Respirator Donning in Post-Hurricane New Orleans
, Jean Cox-Ganser*, Margaret A. Riggs†‡, Nicole Edwards*, and Kathleen Kreiss*
Table 2
Orleans Parish participants’ experiences with respiratory protection during mold clean-up activities since Hurricane Katrina, March 2006*
| Experience | n/N (%) |
|---|---|
| Used mask or respirator |
315/368 (86) |
| Type of mask or respirator used† |
|
| Noncertified mask (dust or surgical) |
143/315 (45) |
| Certified respirator, type† |
233/315 (74) |
| Disposable N95 filtering facepiece |
192/233 (82) |
| Reusable half-face with cartridges |
87/233 (37) |
| Reusable full-face with cartridges |
4/233 (2) |
| Source of mask or respirator† |
|
| Store |
207/315 (66) |
| Nongovernmental organization‡ |
73/315 (23) |
| Workplace |
27/315 (9) |
| Relative or friend |
24/315 (8) |
| Other source |
16/315 (5) |
| Main source of information on use of mask or respirator |
|
| Manufacturer’s instructions |
60/315 (19) |
| Media |
20/315 (6) |
| Instructions given at work |
51/315 (16) |
| Store employee/clerk |
5/315 (2) |
| Relative or friend |
16/315 (5) |
| Internet site§ |
10/315 (3) |
| Other source |
24/315 (8) |
| No information used |
129/315 (41) |
| Conditions that would prompt replacing mask or respirator† |
|
| When it became dirty |
163/312 (52) |
| When it became damaged |
34/312 (11) |
| When it became harder to breathe through |
25/312 (8) |
| Other¶ | 131/312 (42) |
*372 (68%) of 553 survey participants reported participating in mold clean-up activities since Hurricane Katrina. Data for some
characteristics were missing for some participants.
†Participants could choose >1 response; total >100%.
‡Includes Red Cross, Salvation Army, volunteer groups, and church groups.
§In 4 cases, Internet site was specified by name: Channel 6, Federal Emergency Management Agency, city of New Orleans, and
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
¶Write-in responses included various time intervals (e.g., every 3 h, daily, weekly, never) and other conditions such as when smelling
moldy odor or feeling sick.