3M Secure Click D3078 P95 Respirator Filter — Nuisance OV/Acid Gas Relief, Ozone

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What the 3M Secure Click D3078 P95 Respirator Filter Does

The particulate side is a P95: at least 95% of airborne particulate, oil and non-oil, which suits welding, brazing, cutting, grinding and general metalworking. It captures using Advanced Electrostatic Media — highly charged microfibres in an open formation that trap particles by charge rather than purely by sieving, so air passes more easily and breathing resistance stays lower than a denser mechanical filter. The dual-flow design adds to that, and the media is flame and water resistant for the spark-and-damp conditions of the work it is built for. It fits Secure Click HF-800 and FF-800 respirators and nothing else.

Two capabilities need clear framing. The nuisance organic vapour and acid gas relief is odour comfort only — no gas approval, no protection at real exposure. But the filter also carries something most particulate filters do not: 3M recommends it for ozone protection up to 10 times the OSHA PEL, which is directly useful in welding where the arc generates ozone. It sits alongside the P95 D3071 (plain particulate) and the P100 D3097 and D3096 nuisance-relief filters — see the filter comparison.

One Filter, Both Reliefs — and Where It Sits

The D3078's distinguishing trick is combining both nuisance reliefs on one P95 filter. Across the P100 Secure Click range, 3M splits them: the D3097 is P100 with nuisance organic vapour relief, the D3096 is P100 with nuisance acid gas relief. The D3078 rolls organic vapour and acid gas relief into a single P95, so where P95 efficiency is enough and you want both odour reliefs, one filter does what would otherwise be a choice between two.

That makes the selection logic clean. Choose the D3078 for moderate particulate with mixed low-level solvent and acid odours — welding and metalworking are the classic fit, especially with the ozone recommendation in the mix. Step up to the P100 split filters when particulate is heavy or a standard demands the higher efficiency and you only need one odour type. And if hydrogen fluoride is your actual hazard, that is the D3076HF, which carries a genuine NIOSH HF approval rather than nuisance relief. Our selection guide works through it.

Pros & Cons

Specifications

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the nuisance relief actually protect against — and what does it not?

It reduces odour, not exposure. The organic vapour and acid gas element is nuisance-level relief, defined by 3M as concentrations not exceeding the OSHA PEL or other applicable limit, whichever is lower. It carries no gas approval and protects nobody at genuine exposure levels — it makes low-level smells more comfortable. For real solvent or acid gas exposure you need a rated gas cartridge, not this filter's relief layer.

Does it really provide ozone protection?

Yes, and this is the exception worth knowing. 3M specifically recommends the D3078 for ozone protection up to 10 times the OSHA permissible exposure limit — which is unusual, because most particulate filters do nothing about ozone at all. It matters for welding, where the arc generates ozone alongside metal fume, so on this filter the ozone recommendation and the particulate capture line up with the same application.

So is the ozone coverage a NIOSH approval or a recommendation?

A recommendation, and the distinction is worth being precise about. The NIOSH approval is for P95 particulate — oil and non-oil. The ozone protection to 10x PEL is 3M's own recommendation rather than a NIOSH gas approval, so treat it as a real, manufacturer-backed capability that is nonetheless documented as a recommendation. For any ozone exposure, confirm the figure against 3M's current literature for the exact filter you hold.

How does it combine OV and acid gas relief in one P95?

The D3078 carries both nuisance organic vapour and nuisance acid gas relief on a single P95 filter, where the P100 Secure Click filters split them — the D3097 is P100 with nuisance OV relief, the D3096 is P100 with nuisance acid gas relief. So if you want both odour reliefs together and P95 efficiency is enough, this one filter does what would otherwise take a choice between two. If you need the higher P100 efficiency, you step to the split filters.

What is Advanced Electrostatic Media, and why does it matter?

AEM is 3M's filter media of highly charged microfibres arranged in an open formation. The charge captures particles electrostatically rather than purely by mechanical sieving, which lets the fibres sit more openly and pass air more easily — so you get filtration at lower breathing resistance than a denser mechanical filter. Combined with the dual-flow design, that is the comfort story: easier breathing for the same protection.

P95 or P100 — how do I choose?

P95 captures at least 95% of airborne particulate; P100 at least 99.97%. Both are oil-proof P-series. Where particulate loading is moderate and the standard does not demand higher efficiency, P95 is often sufficient and breathes more easily. Step to a P100 Secure Click filter where particulate is heavy, hazardous in its own right, or subject to a substance-specific standard requiring the higher class.

Is it oil-resistant?

Yes — the P designation means oil-proof, and the approval covers both oil and non-oil particulate. That is what makes it suitable for machining mist and oil-based aerosols that would degrade an N-series filter. If oil is anywhere in your aerosol, P-series is the class you need, and this filter already is one.

Does it fit 3M bayonet respirators?

No. The D3078 is a Secure Click filter for the HF-800 half facepiece and FF-800 full facepiece, which use a push-and-lock connection. 3M's bayonet respirators — the 6000, 7000 and FF-400 Series — use a different fitting and their own filter range. NIOSH approval covers the respirator and filter as a tested assembly, so components must not be mixed across platforms even where they appear to seat.

Why is it flame and water resistant?

Because of where it is used. Welding, cutting and grinding throw sparks and heat, and flame resistance keeps a spark from igniting or destroying the filter media the way it would a soft pad. Water resistance handles damp environments and the odd splash. Neither property is a license to expose the filter to open flame or immersion — they extend durability in normal jobsite conditions, not beyond them.

When should it be replaced?

On a documented schedule, and sooner on any warning sign. There is no end-of-service-life indicator, so replace on a rise in breathing resistance as the particulate media loads, on returning odour that signals the nuisance relief is spent, or on any damage. Because the relief was never rated protection, returning odour is a comfort signal rather than a breakthrough — but it still means change the filters, and prompts the question of whether a rated cartridge was needed.

Do both filters get replaced together?

Yes. They are worn as a matched pair and load at the same rate, so replacing one leaves uneven breathing resistance and an unknown remaining life on the older side. Given the dual-flow design balances airflow across both, running a fresh filter against a spent one also unbalances the breathing you paid for.

Can a loaded filter be washed or reused?

No. Washing saturates the media and compressed air drives particles deeper or opens holes through it, and either way the NIOSH approval no longer applies. The electrostatic charge in the AEM media can also be degraded by improper handling and some contaminants, so treat these as consumables and replace rather than attempting to recover them.