Talk:Filter mask

I am in the process of rewriting the Wikipedia entry for respirator, which is the correct name for what this entry calls a 'filter mask.' My reasoning is that 'filter mask' is incredibly incomplete as a description and as an entry - for example, there are full face respirators, half face respirators, powered air-purifying respirators, and different cartridges for different hazards. In the United States, OSHA requires medical clearance to wear even a simple half face respirator during the course of employment, if the employer is covered under OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard; breathing through one of these respirators is not as easy as it seems on the surface.

If Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, it should at the very least discuss each type of respirator using the correct terminology, instead of 'filter mask' and 'gas mask.' Therefore, I am being bold and taking on the project. Help is appreciated and welcome; you can start by looking at the OSHA and NIOSH pages on respiratory protection, which can be found by doing a Google search for 'respirator' and either 'OSHA' or 'NIOSH.' Remember to come over to respirator - edits here will have to be moved over there anyway.

I would like to redirect this page to respirator once I'm finished, which won't be for several weeks. Please limit edits to this entry in the interim, because I don't want to put a 'major edit' hold on the page. Thanks. - ddlamb 22:35, 8 January 2006 (UTC)