Respirator selection
Formaldehyde respirator selectionHCHO (CH2O)
Resins/adhesives, particleboard & plywood, embalming/pathology, textiles, disinfectants; wood-products and healthcare industries.
Calculator for Formaldehyde
Result
Enter a concentration and an exposure limit to see the
compliant respirators and their Maximum Use Concentration.
Hazard ratio = concentration ÷ OEL · Minimum APF must meet or exceed it · MUC = APF × OEL (capped at IDLH). Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(A), Table 1 — Assigned Protection Factors. Last verified 2026-07-16.
Maximum use concentration for Formaldehyde by respirator
MUC = APF × the OSHA PEL (0.75 ppm), capped at the IDLH (20 ppm). Use this as a reference for the highest concentration each respirator class may be used at.
| Respirator | APF | MUC (ppm) |
|---|---|---|
| Air-Purifying Respirator · Quarter mask | 5 | 3.75 |
| Air-Purifying Respirator · Half mask | 10 | 7.5 |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Half mask · Demand | 10 | 7.5 |
| Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus · Half mask · Demand | 10 | 7.5 |
| Powered Air-Purifying Respirator · Helmet / hood | 25 | 18.75 |
| Powered Air-Purifying Respirator · Loose-fitting facepiece | 25 | 18.75 |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Helmet / hood · Continuous flow | 25 | 18.75 |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Loose-fitting facepiece · Continuous flow | 25 | 18.75 |
| Air-Purifying Respirator · Full facepiece | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Powered Air-Purifying Respirator · Half mask | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Full facepiece · Demand | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Half mask · Continuous flow | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Half mask · Pressure-demand / positive-pressure | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus · Full facepiece · Demand | 50 | 20IDLH |
| Powered Air-Purifying Respirator · Full facepiece | 1,000 | 20IDLH |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Full facepiece · Continuous flow | 1,000 | 20IDLH |
| Supplied-Air Respirator (Airline) · Full facepiece · Pressure-demand / positive-pressure | 1,000 | 20IDLH |
| Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus · Full facepiece · Pressure-demand / positive-pressure | 10,000 | 20IDLH |
Notes
Verified via NIOSH IDLH page + NPG search data (live NPG card fetch was 403 — re-verify card directly). OSHA 1910.1048: TWA 0.75 ppm, STEL 2 ppm, action level 0.5 ppm. NIOSH REL Ca: TWA 0.016 ppm with 15-min Ceiling 0.1 ppm. IDLH Ca [20 ppm]. Conversion 1 ppm = 1.23 mg/m3; MW 30.0.
Sources
- https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0293.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/50000.html
- https://www.osha.gov/annotated-pels/table-z-1
- https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1048
Data confidence: high. Values are cited from OSHA and NIOSH but should be verified against the current source and a qualified professional before use. See how this works.