PACIFIC CLEAR
HAWAII
ACRONYMS - Air Filtration:
APF
"Assigned Protection Factor (APF) is the workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection program. An N95 respirator has an APF of 10, meaning that, if used properly, can be safely used in an atmosphere that has a hazardous concentration of up to 10 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) or other exposure limit for that hazard. The APF can be useful when comparing different types of respirators to see if similar levels of protection are provided" (source: Municipal Technical Advisory Service, "N95 Respirators and Respiratory Protection Q & A", page 4)
CARB
California Air Resources Board -- "CARB's Indoor Air Program sponsors and conducts indoor air quality research, develops indoor air quality recommendations, provides educational resources to the public, and regulates indoor air cleaners so that consumers can be assured of their safety. ""Since 2010, all portable indoor air cleaning devices sold to people or businesses in California are required to be certified by CARB. As of October 2020, electronic in-duct air cleaning devices are also subject to the regulation. To be certified, all air cleaners must be tested for electrical safety. Electronic air cleaners must also be tested for ozone emissions and meet an ozone emission concentration limit of 0.050 parts per million (50 ppb)" (source: CARB website).
EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency -- "The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment.
EPA works to ensure that: Americans have clean air, land and water; National efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on the best available scientific information; Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are administered and enforced fairly, effectively and as Congress intended; Environmental stewardship is integral to U.S. policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy; All parts of society--communities, individuals, businesses, and state, local and tribal governments--have access to accurate information sufficient to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks; Contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up by potentially responsible parties and revitalized; and Chemicals in the marketplace are reviewed for safety (source: EPA website).
FDA
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an Agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services. The "FDA is responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medical products more effective, safer, and more affordable and by helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medical products and foods to maintain and improve their health" (source: FDA website).
IP
IP is "Ingress Protection" and is set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). "The IEC is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together more than 170 countries and coordinates the work of 20,000 experts globally." "The IEC has developed the ingress protection (IP) ratings, which grade the resistance of an enclosure against the intrusion of dust or liquids...The IP code is composed of two numerals: The first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects and is rated on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (no ingress of dust). The second numeral rates the enclosure’s protection against liquids and uses a scale from 0 (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure hot water from different angles)" (source: International Electrotechnical Commission website).
NIOSH
NIOSH stands for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and it is part of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). NIOSH "is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. Although NIOSH is generally characterized as a non-regulatory agency, guidance and recommendations issued by NIOSH are often used by other agencies responsible for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulations. NIOSH is also directly responsible for several regulations. These regulations mostly outline procedures and requirements for specific health and safety related matters involving a particular industry or set forth rules for NIOSH to follow in administering programs assigned to the Institute. The regulations include rules regarding the following...Approval of respiratory protective equipment...The NIOSH regulations are found in the following parts of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (source: www.cdc.gov website)
OH&S
OH&S is the "Occupational Health & Safety is the industry-leading news magazine, eNewsletter, and website for occupational health and safety professionals focusing on problem-solving solutions, latest news, webinars, and products for the industry." "The Industrial Hygiene Awards honor outstanding product development achievements of health and safety manufacturers whose products or services are considered particularly noteworthy in their ability to improve industrial hygiene" (source: OH&S website).