3M Issues “STOP USE” on Certain 5000 Series Respirators

3M announces an immediate stop use and inspect or return notice for certain versions and lots of the 3M™ Half Facepiece Disposable Respirators 5000 Series – Medium. These respirators are intended, labeled, and packaged for sale to trained industrial and occupational customers for workplace use, such as for employers operating under a U.S. OSHA worker safety program. When properly selected and worn according to the user instructions, these respirators help reduce exposure to certain airborne contaminants. However, during a recent internal review, 3M discovered an issue involving certain versions and lots of the size-medium 3M™ Half Facepiece Disposable Respirators 5000 Series. In a limited number of instances, we have observed a pinhole in the chin area of the faceseal. This affects only certain 5200 (Medium) respirators that were manufactured in July 2019, with Lot Numbers 9184 through 9204. No other 3M half facepiece respirators, including the 5100 (small) and 5300 (large), are affected by this issue. 3M has received no customer complaints related to this issue.

If your company uses 3M respirators:
1. Stop use of your 3M™ Half Facepiece Disposable Respirators 5000 Series – Medium;
2. Inspect those respirators to determine if they are impacted, using the instructions in the ADVISORY; and
3. Take action as appropriate per the follow-up actions also described in the advisory.