In 2001, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducted a voluntary survey of U.S. employers regarding the use of respiratory protective devices. This survey provides a greater level of detail than any previous survey of job related respirator use. The survey findings are intended to provide information to develop educational interventions for specific populations and to increase the frequency and effectiveness of respirator use in the workplace.