N95 Respirators, Masks and the Stations That Dispense Them
This collection covers face protection in two parts: the respirators and masks themselves, and the dispensers and respiratory hygiene stations that put them where people need them. Products include NIOSH-certified N95 respirators from Dynarex and Medivena Benehal, an aerosol mask from Drive DeVilbiss, and a broad range of wall-mount and stand-mount dispensing hardware.
The heavy weight of dispensing hardware here is deliberate rather than accidental. Source control, meaning stopping respiratory particles at the person who produces them, only works if a mask reaches someone before they enter the shared space. A box of masks in a supply cupboard fails at exactly that. A station at the door does not.
The same logic applies inside the building. A face shield that lives in a drawer three rooms away gets skipped when the room is busy, and the moment a clinician decides it is not worth fetching is the moment the protection stops existing.
→ Part of PPE & Infection Control. Also see Respirators (N95), Gloves, Gowns & Caps and Hand Sanitizers.
Surgical Mask, N95 Respirator or Face Shield?
These are three different devices protecting against three different things, and substituting one for another leaves a gap that is not visible until it matters.
| Device | Protects | Mechanism | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical or earloop mask | Others from the wearer, plus splash to the wearer | Barrier, loose fitting | No seal required |
| N95 respirator | The wearer from airborne particles | Filters at least 95% of particles, sealed | Seal required, fit testing applies |
| Face shield | Eyes and face from splash | Physical barrier, open at the sides | No seal, no filtration |
The face shield row is the one that gets misread most often. A shield stops a splash reaching the eyes and face, and that is genuinely important during procedures that generate spray. It does nothing about airborne particles, which travel around it. A shield is worn with a mask or respirator, not instead of one.
N95 respirators in stock
The Dynarex N95 particulate respirator and the Medivena Benehal NIOSH-certified surgical N95 respirator in foldable cup design, supplied 20 per box and 20 boxes per case. A surgical N95 combines respiratory protection with fluid resistance, which is what procedures generating both aerosol and splash require.
Aerosol masks
The Drive DeVilbiss adult aerosol mask in elongated style with adjustable strap, supplied 50 per case, is for oxygen and aerosol delivery to the patient rather than protection of staff. It appears here because it is a face-worn device, but it belongs to a different function entirely.
Respiratory Hygiene Stations
A respiratory hygiene station puts masks, tissues, hand sanitizer and a waste receptacle together at the point where people arrive, so someone with symptoms can complete the whole sequence in one stop instead of hunting for each item.
The lettered range differs by capacity, what it holds and how it mounts. Wall-mounted versions: station H, station I, station Q, station S, station U and the station U with tub, wipe, mask and tissue.
Where wall mounting is not possible, because the wall is glass, listed, or simply not where the traffic is, acrylic stand versions place the same station on the floor: H on stand, I on stand and Q on stand.
Signage and higher traffic
Signage changes uptake more than availability does, because a station without instruction is furniture. The station with sleeve sign and the Deco kiosk with sign sleeve build the message into the unit. For busy entrances, the 4 or 5 position station spreads demand across multiple positions so a queue does not form at the door.
The station with touch-free mounting space reserves a position for a touch-free dispenser, which matters at an entrance where the whole point is not touching shared surfaces.
Mask and Shield Dispensers
Dispensers keep masks clean, visible and one-at-a-time, which is what stops a box being emptied by one person and stops the remaining masks being handled by everyone who reaches into the box.
- Earloop masks: the earloop mask dispenser, an alternative configuration, the bulk earloop dispenser for high-volume entrances, the stand-mount version and the stand-mount box holder.
- N95 respirators: the N95 mask dispenser and the dust-proof N95 dispenser, which keeps respirators enclosed so they are not contaminated by ambient dust before use.
- Face shields: the face shield dispenser, and the combined N95 and face shield dispenser with sliding door and front load. Front loading matters for restocking: a top-load dispenser mounted at head height is awkward to fill.
Locking and theft-deterrent
In public-facing entrances, unsecured stock disappears in quantity rather than one at a time, and an empty station is worse than no station because staff eventually stop restocking it. Locking options: the locking earloop mask dispenser, the locking N95 dispenser, the locking station S and the theft-deterrent locking station G.
Combined PPE station
The wall-mount PPE station holding N95, earloop masks, wipes, gloves, goggles and hand sanitizer puts a complete donning set in one place. For an isolation room anteroom, that is the difference between donning in the correct sequence and improvising from whatever is to hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a surgical mask and an N95 respirator?
A surgical mask is loose-fitting, protects others from the wearer's respiratory droplets and gives the wearer splash protection. An N95 respirator seals to the face and filters at least 95% of airborne particles the wearer breathes in. They protect in opposite directions and are not interchangeable. An N95 only delivers its rated protection if it seals, which is why fit testing exists as a separate requirement.
Does a face shield replace a mask?
No. A face shield is a physical barrier that stops splash reaching the eyes and face, and it is open at the sides and bottom. Airborne particles travel around it. A shield is worn with a mask or respirator rather than instead of one. It is genuinely valuable during procedures that generate spray, which is a different problem from the one a respirator solves.
What does NIOSH certified mean?
It means the respirator has been tested and approved under the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health respirator approval programme, which verifies filtration performance and construction against a defined standard. A surgical N95 additionally meets fluid resistance requirements, combining respiratory protection with splash protection for procedures that generate both.
Do N95 respirators need fit testing?
Where respirators are used as part of an occupational respiratory protection programme, fit testing is generally required alongside medical evaluation and training, with the specifics set by workplace regulation and your facility's programme. A respirator that does not seal to the individual wearer's face does not deliver its rated protection regardless of certification. Facial hair at the seal line is a common reason a fit test fails.
Where should a respiratory hygiene station be placed?
At the entrance, before people reach the shared waiting space. Source control works before exposure, not after, so a mask offered in the waiting room comes too late to do the job it was meant to do. Entrance placement also makes the expectation visible, which affects uptake more than availability alone. Where wall mounting is not possible, acrylic stand versions place the same station on the floor at the same point.
Why do hygiene stations combine masks, tissues and sanitizer?
Because respiratory hygiene is a sequence rather than a single action: cover a cough, dispose of the tissue, clean hands, put on a mask. If those items are in four different places, most people complete part of the sequence and skip the rest. A combined station lets someone finish the whole thing in one stop, which is what makes compliance realistic rather than aspirational.
Why would a mask dispenser need a lock?
In a public-facing entrance, unsecured stock is taken in quantity rather than one at a time. A station that is regularly empty stops being restocked, and at that point the facility has the hardware without the function. Locking dispensers release one item at a time while keeping the bulk secured, which keeps the station usable without a member of staff supervising it.
What is a dust-proof mask dispenser for?
It keeps respirators enclosed so they are not exposed to ambient dust and airborne contamination while waiting to be used. A respirator that has been sitting in an open box in a corridor for a week has collected whatever is in that corridor, which is a poor starting point for a device meant to filter what the wearer breathes.
Why does front loading matter on a dispenser?
Because of restocking. A top-load dispenser mounted at head height requires reaching over it to fill, which is awkward and frequently means the dispenser is refilled less often than it should be. A front-load dispenser with a sliding door is filled from a natural standing position, and a dispenser that is easy to fill is a dispenser that stays full.
What should an isolation room anteroom station hold?
Everything needed for a complete donning sequence in one place: respirator, mask, gloves, eye protection and hand sanitizer, plus wipes. Donning order matters and improvising from items scattered across a corridor undermines it. A combined PPE station is what makes the correct sequence the easy one, and the specific contents should follow your facility's isolation protocol.
MediDepot Purchasing Advantages
- Price Match Guarantee: found the same catalogue number for less elsewhere? We will match the verified price.
- Equipment Financing: available when fitting out multiple entrances and departments.
- Extended Warranty: available on qualifying equipment.
- Military Discount: available for qualifying military medical facilities and personnel.
- Request a Quote: station configuration by entrance type, case pricing and standing consumable orders.
Related Buying Guides
- Clinic Infection Control Supplies Checklist
- How to Choose Disinfectants: Contact Time and Staff Safety
- Physician Office Setup Checklist
- How to Verify Authorized Medical Equipment Sellers