INDUSTRY STANDARDS & CERTIFICATIONS
3M N95 (United States NIOSH-42CFR84) is considered the benchmark U.S. standard. However, due to lack of availability of supplies during the COVID-19 crisis, the KN95 can be considered as a suitable equivalent according to both 3M and the CDC.
According to industry leader 3M’s guidance on N95 (United States NIOSH-42CFR84) vs other standards found in Industry leader 3M Technical Bulletin January, 2020 Revision 2 “Comparison of FFP2, KN95, and N95 and Other Filtering Facepiece Respirator Classes”: “Based on this comparison, it is reasonable to consider China KN95, AS/NZ P2, Korea 1st Class, and Japan DS FFRs as “equivalent” to US NIOSH N95 and European FFP2 respirators, for filtering non-oil-based particles such as those resulting from wildfires, PM 2.5 air pollution, volcanic eruptions, or bioaerosols (e.g. viruses). However, prior to selecting a respirator, users should consult their local respiratory protection regulations and requirements or check with their local public health authorities for selection guidance.