Teal Bio

THE MAJORITY OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE WOMEN — SO WHY WERE N95 MASKS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR MEN?

A 2021 U.S. study found that women fail at higher rates than men when it comes to N95 fit testing. This is a serious problem, because N95 respirators and other masks need to fit tightly in order to be effective against bacteria and viruses. This means that current respirators are more often not compatible with the majority of our healthcare system, and that’s why Teal Bio is making a respirator that works for all genders.

But first, to understand why the N95 mask was originally designed for men, you have to look back at when it was invented and its original purpose. The first US government-approved disposable filtering face piece respirator was jointly approved by the US Bureau of Mines and the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in 1972 for protection against dust. It was mainly used by construction workers.