"He who marches out of step hears another drum." ~ Ken Kesey
do your research on your SDS sheets. In theory a respirator is great, but without the proper training and cartridges, it's not much better. If you are complying with OSHA, you'll need to get a medial exam and conduct fit tests, which are expensive!
Which is why the charcoal masks are sometimes a better option. These are not regulated
Regarding the respirator testing and certifications, OSHA supposedly told a friend of mine that if an employee bought the device themselves and it could be proved so, that no additional fit testing was required. Could this be a work-around if legitimate?