A chance meeting between strangers on vacation has improved life for people on the other side of the globe.

One stranger was an MSA respirator engineer. The other, who works for an American petroleum company, told him about a humanitarian project her company was involved in, linked to a drilling exploration in Siberia.

Whenever this petroleum company works on projects in locations around the world, its employees try to help the native people become more self-sufficient. This project centered on improving the medical/dental services for residents in two sprawling districts of the Siberian tundra.

Residences there are clustered in a nomadic style. Many people live in tepees and make their living raising and herding reindeer. The standard of living is poor, and major health problems include tuberculosis, upper respiratory infections, skin diseases, and dental problems.

"Respirators were needed to help protect dental technicians treating patients in a clinic from a widespread outbreak of tuberculosis in the region," said Ken Bobetich, product group manager of MSA's air-purifying respirators.

MSA decided to pitch in, donating several cases of Affinity® disposable respirators and about a dozen reusable Advantage® 200 respirators and cartridges. The safety products helped make the oil company's humanitarian project a success.

Bobetich noted that MSA had also donated thousands of its disposable respirators to aid personnel sifting through the rubble after a devastating earthquake shook Turkey last year.

"From time to time, representatives of MSA throughout the world have helped fill such needs, particularly after disasters," Bobetich said. "Such small efforts on our part can really improve health and safety conditions."

For more information about MSA's Affinity and Advantage respirators, call your MSA distributor or MSA's Customer Service at 1-800-MSA-2222.