Evaluation of Human Performance While Wearing Respirators

The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of respirator use in Air Traffic Control and Technical Operations. The authors evaluated several models of Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) and N95 respirators for usability, effects on human performance, and effects on the wearer’s well-being. The authors found that binoculars could not be used with any of the PAPRs. Wearing a PAPR affected communication, but the characteristics of the respirator, especially the sound level and frequency spectrum of the noise, played a significant role in determining the extent of the effect and the subjective experience of wearing it. The accuracy levels of face-to-face communication were below those that were considered to be minimally acceptable. For the N95 respirators, we found negative effects on face-to-face communication and observed obstructiveness during simulated maintenance.