Respirator product attributes

Respirator records carry more regulatory weight than most PPE. In the US, a respirator is approved by NIOSH as an assembly: a specific facepiece with specific filters or cartridges. A catalog that treats the facepiece and the cartridge as unrelated items loses the one fact that matters, which combinations are approved together. That information lives on the approval label and in the user instructions, not in the typical price file.

Filter classes are also easy to blur. N, R and P describe oil resistance, the number describes filtration efficiency, gas and vapor cartridges carry their own classes, and European EN markings follow a different scheme altogether. Supplier files often write "HEPA" where they mean P100, or collapse a combination cartridge into a single label. Facepiece sizes are separate SKUs, and fit testing is done per size and model.

A buyer needs the respirator type, the filter or cartridge class, the attachment system, the facepiece size and material, and the approval reference. Those fields should be sourced from the manufacturer's approval label and instructions, and the catalog should never state a protection level the documents do not.

The respirators attribute template

18 candidate fields in 4 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 8 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	HM-5502-M

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Respirator Type respirator_type	Controlled list	Core	Half-mask, elastomeric, air-purifying
Product Series / Family product_series_family	Text	Core	Series 5500 half facepiece
Facepiece Size facepiece_size	Controlled list	Core	Medium
Contaminant Protection Type contaminant_protection_type	Controlled list	Core	Combination: gas/vapor + particulate
NIOSH Filter Series & Efficiency niosh_filter_series_efficiency	Controlled list	Core	P100
Face Seal Material face_seal_material	Controlled list	Core	Silicone
Gas/Vapor Cartridge Class gas_vapor_cartridge_class	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Organic Vapor / Acid Gas (OV/AG)
Exhalation Valve Type exhalation_valve_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Center-mounted exhalation valve
Head Harness / Donning System head_harness_donning_system	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Drop-down head harness, 4-point
Cartridge Color Code cartridge_color_code	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Magenta (P100)
End-of-Service-Life Indicator (ESLI) end_of_service_life_indicator_esli	Controlled list	Buyer decision	No

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Cartridge / Filter Attachment Type cartridge_filter_attachment_type	Controlled list	Core	Bayonet

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Assigned Protection Factor (APF) assigned_protection_factor_apf	Number	Buyer decision	10
NIOSH Approval Number niosh_approval_number	Identifier	Channel / evidence	TC-84A-XXXX
EN Class Marking en_class_marking	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	EN 140 half mask; EN 143 P3 R filter
Fluid Resistance (surgical N95) fluid_resistance_surgical_n95	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Fluid resistant, ASTM F1862 at 160 mmHg
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Approved Facepiece / Cartridge Combinations
• NIOSH Approval Number as a structured field
• End-of-Service-Life Indicator (ESLI)
• Shelf Life / Date of Manufacture
• Natural Rubber Latex Content

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing respirators ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Which cartridges are approved for use with this half mask?
• Does this filter work in oily mist, or only for dust?
• Do you have this facepiece in small for employees who failed fit testing on the medium?
• Is this disposable respirator fluid resistant for healthcare use?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ