Which of the following is NOT considered an air-purifying respirator?

Regular fabric masks are not considered air-purifying respirators because they do not have the capacity to filter out particles or hazardous materials from the air you breathe. Unlike air-purifying respirators, which use specific filters or cartridges to remove harmful substances, fabric masks typically provide only a basic level of barrier protection and do not meet the standards set for respirators.

In contrast, dust masks or mechanical filter respirators, chemical cartridge respirators, and gas masks are specifically designed to purify the air by trapping particles or neutralizing gases, which is essential for protecting the wearer in environments with airborne contaminants. This difference in design and purpose highlights why regular fabric masks do not qualify as air-purifying respirators.