Filtering or powered respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, emergency escape breathing devices, self-rescuers plus more… These are classified as respiratory protective gear! Now you ask: when the use of them, and above all, how will you pick the right equipment to provide maximum protection?

Listed here is a good practice guide to enable you to select the best form of respiratory protection.

When must you use respiratory protection?

Prior to you making the wearing of respiratory protective gear (RPE) mandatory, you must implement other prevention solutions for example finding substitutes for hazardous substances or installing air purification techniques (closing off processes, trapping pollutants, ventilating the premises, etc.). If it is not easy to put these measures available, or maybe if these are insufficient, you will have to provide respiratory protective clothing.

Respiratory protective clothing can be used:

When there is a threat which a person’s health is going to be altered because of inhaling air that’s polluted by gases, vapours, dust and aerosols or by oxygen-depleted air on the job;

When intervening to tackle a fire or gas leak, along with closed spaces in which the atmosphere could become dangerous due to inhalation;

In closed areas with an insufficient oxygen supply (contaminated areas).

There are several varieties of respiratory protective gear ideal for each situation and specific field. They work by placing physical barrier relating to the polluted atmosphere on the job and the worker’s face (respiratory tract, eyes, skin). The unit are classed as Personal Protective Equipment, so it’s important to make the right choice to make certain you are thoroughly protected.

Accomplish an exam of the workstation

You’ll want to define the conditions people beforehand:

Oxygen level

Type of pollutants (gas, vapours, dust, etc.)

Toxicity from the pollutants

Worst-case-scenario concentrations of every type of pollutant in the air

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs), if appropriate

Proportions of the particles regarding aerosols

Exercising in the user

Duration of the work to be performed

Related risks (projection of fluids, fire, etc.)

Respiratory equipment selection guide

There’s 2 broad types of respiratory protective clothing:

Self-contained breathing apparatus

The apparatus supplies breathable air from another source. The person isn’t dependent on the ambient air

Works extremely well in closed and confined spaces

Always employ such a protection if you have any doubt regarding the excellence of the air, along with all atmospheres with the oxygen level < 17%

Filtering respirators

The device filters and purifies the contaminated air. An individual breathes the ambient air.

The ambient air must contain between 17 and 21% oxygen

To help you determine the type of respiratory protective clothing ideal to your demands, we’ve got provided a decision-making chart in line with the following questions:

In what situation will the respiratory protective equipment provide?

What’s the oxygen level during work? Note: a normal oxygen level is between 17 and 21%

What sort of pollutant is involved and the way toxic can it be?

Is there a OEL, or permissible concentration level of the pollutant?

After choosing equipment family (filtering or powered respirator, self-contained breathing apparatus, emergency escape breathing devices or self-rescuers), you’ll want to determine the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

Minimum required PF = Power contaminant outside of the facepiece / Permissible power contaminant inside the facepiece, or OEL.

To ensure sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) and the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) should be greater than the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

By way of example: when selecting a filtering respirator (gas mask), you have to pick the most appropriate equipment depending on the protection levels shown inside the table and choose the right filter (type and sophistication)

After choosing equipment family (filtering or powered respirator, self-contained breathing apparatus, emergency escape breathing devices or self-rescuers), you should determine the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

Minimum required PF = Power contaminant beyond your facepiece / Permissible energy contaminant inside the facepiece, or OEL.

To ensure sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) and also the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) has to be higher than the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

For example: when deciding on self-contained breathing apparatus, you need to choose the most appropriate equipment based on the protection levels shown in the table and judge the correct filter (type and sophistication).

Equipment worthy of the work situation

After you have determined the appropriate group of respiratory protective gear, you have to be capable to adapt the gear on the work situation. It is essential to involve future users in the shopping process because they are individuals who’re best capable of describe their activity.

The next parameters need to be taken into consideration:

Physical characteristics from the wearer (beard, face scars, etc.) which will determine the scale and type of protection (helmet, hood, facepiece, etc.)

Whether the person wears contacts or glasses, with there being special devices for attaching glasses

Work patterns: air line breathing systems be more effective worthy of more intense work; powered respirators works extremely well if the flow is sufficient to cancel out the negative pressure

The amount of time for which the gear will be worn: it is far better to select powered filtering respirators if you need to use them for over 60 minutes

Visibility requirements: based on the needs, we might recommend panoramic facepieces for improved visibility, single-use visors or hoods having a replaceable visor offering eye protection in case there is projections

Communication requirements: you can find models with phonic membranes and voice amplifiers enabling communication in harsh conditions like confined spaces

Other personal protective gear and accessories to use: some types of equipment have integrated head, eye, ear and respiratory tract protection – they are useful for welding operations, by way of example.

Decontamination requirements applicable to respiratory protective equipment

Thermal constraints

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