Respiratory protection equipment is a type of personal protective equipment used to protect an individual against inhalation of hazardous chemicals, dust particles, and gas. Respirators and breathing apparatus are collectively known as respiratory protection equipment.

The respiratory protection equipment market is valued at USD 5.25 Billion in 2017. Adoption of stringent regulatory frameworks and increasing awareness about the importance of workplace safety are key factors expected to drive the growth of the respiratory protection equipment market during the forecast period. On the basis of product type, the respiratory protection equipment market has been segmented into air-purifying respirators (powered air-purifying respirators and non-powered air-purifying respirators) and supplied air respirators (self-contained breathing apparatus, air-line respirators, and loose fitting hoods). The air-purifying respirators segment is projected to lead the market during the forecast period due to the high demand from the healthcare & pharmaceuticals industry. Based on end-use industry, the respiratory protection equipment market has been segmented into healthcare & pharmaceuticals, defense & public safety services (defense and firefighting & law enforcement), oil & gas, manufacturing (automotive, chemical, metal fabrication, food & beverage, woodworking, and paper & pulp), mining, construction, and others (agriculture & forestry, textile, cement production, power generation, and shipbuilding). The demand for respiratory protection equipment is high in the healthcare & pharmaceuticals segment due increasing workforce and rising consumption of disposable respirators in the healthcare industry. The respiratory protection equipment market has been studied for Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East & Africa, and South America. North America is the largest market for respiratory protection equipment across the globe majorly due to strong consumer awareness, huge healthcare spending, and widespread consumption in the military and law enforcement. Additionally, stringent regulations regarding the use of protective equipment in industries also drive the respiratory protection equipment market in North America. The Asia Pacific respiratory protection equipment market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Increased focus on the use of safety products and growing awareness about workplace safety are primarily responsible for the growing consumption of respiratory protection equipment in the Asia Pacific region. The adoption of stringent regulatory frameworks is expected to drive the respiratory protection equipment market during the forecast period. Government authorities are increasingly focused on the health and safety of workers. To reduce accidents and uncertainties in industries, governments of various countries have issued several safety regulations. These regulations and standards compel end-use industries to adopt respiratory protection equipment for their workers in certain types of a work environment. It is mandatory for workers in industries like oil & gas, firefighting, construction, and healthcare, among others, to wear respiratory protective equipment. In the US, the respiratory protection equipment is designed to meet specifications set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). However, respirators for fire and emergency services are tested and certified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Respiratory Protection Equipment Market vendors are placed into 4 categories based on their performance and reviews in each criterion: “visionary leaders,” “innovators,” “dynamic differentiators,” and “emerging companies".

Visionary leaders are the leading market players in terms of new developments such as product launches, innovative technologies, and the adoption of growth strategies. These players have a broad product offering that caters to most of the regions globally. Visionary leaders primarily focus on acquiring the leading market position through their strong financial capabilities and their well-established brand equity.

Dynamic Differentiators are established players with very strong business strategies. However, they have a weaker product portfolio compared to the visionary leaders. They generally focus only on a specific type of technology related to the product.

Innovators in the competitive leadership mapping are vendors that have demonstrated substantial product innovations as compared to their competitors. The companies have focused on product portfolios. However, they do not have very strong growth strategies for their overall business, when compared with the visionary leaders.

Emerging companies have niche product and service offerings. Their business strategies are not as strong as that of the established vendors. The emerging vendors include the new entrants in the market, emerging in terms of product portfolio and geographic reach, and require time to gain significant traction in the market.