KN95 masks are the Chinese equivalent of N95 masks and meet international safety standards. They are not NIOSH-approved, but they do filter out 95 percent of particles.

They are not resistant to oil. The surgical N95 is a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator that has also been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration as a surgical mask.

So, to ensure that you’re not purchasing or using misrepresented or counterfeit NIOSH-approved respirators, the first thing you can do is look at NIOSH’s certified equipment list (CEL).

The DTC3X has met the high-quality standards of NIOSH N95 certification, demonstrating its value as personal protective equipment (PPE) for both in-patient surgical and intensive care units.

The COVID-19 pandemic further solidified NIOSH certification as an indispensable benchmark for quality and legitimacy in a marketplace flooded with unreliable products.

If you’re having trouble finding the NIOSH-approved N95s and KN95s, you can use Collins’ YouTube videos and spreadsheets to track the non-approved ones.

The 3M Aura Particulate N95 Respirator is also NIOSH-approved and has an embossed top panel designed to help reduce the fogging of eyewear from warm, moist exhaled air.

KN95 masks are the Chinese equivalent of N95 masks and meet international safety standards. They are not approved by NIOSH, but they do filter out 95 percent of particles.

The DTC3X has met the high-quality standards of NIOSH N95 certification, demonstrating its value as personal protective equipment (PPE) for both in-patient surgical and intensive care units.

Finally, NIOSH also provides a list of examples of items that are not NIOSH-approved. To view the list, see counterfeit or misrepresented respirator examples.