Filtering or powered respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, emergency escape breathing devices, self-rescuers plus much more… These are called respiratory protective clothing! The question is: when should you use them, and even more importantly, how do you pick the right equipment to offer you maximum protection?

Here’s a good practice help guide enable you to select the right sort of respiratory protection.

When should you use respiratory protection?

Prior to making the wearing of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) mandatory, it is essential to implement other prevention solutions like finding substitutes for hazardous substances or installing air purification techniques (closing off processes, trapping pollutants, ventilating the premises, etc.). If not easy to put these measures in place, or if they’re insufficient, you simply must provide respiratory protective clothing.

Respiratory protective clothing can be used:

When there is a hazard a person’s health is going to be altered due to inhaling air that’s polluted by gases, vapours, dust and aerosols or by oxygen-depleted air at work;

When intervening to tackle a hearth or gas leak, and in closed spaces in which the atmosphere could become dangerous as a result of inhalation;

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

There are lots of forms of respiratory protective gear well suited for each situation and particular field. They work by locating a physical barrier involving the polluted atmosphere at work and the worker’s face (respiratory tract, eyes, skin). These devices are classed as Personal Protective clothing, so it’s important to make a good choice to make sure you are well protected.

Execute an assessment from the workstation

You have to define the circumstances people beforehand:

Oxygen level

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

Toxicity in the pollutants

Worst-case-scenario concentrations of each one form of pollutant up

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs), if appropriate

Size of the particles in the matter of aerosols

Exercise with the user

Amount of the project to get accomplished

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

Respiratory equipment selection guide

There are two broad kinds of respiratory protective clothing:

Self-contained breathing apparatus

The apparatus supplies breathable air from an outside source. The user is not dependent on the ambient air

Works extremely well in closed and confined spaces

Use this kind of protection when there is any doubt in regards to the expertise of the air, and in all atmospheres with the oxygen level < 17%

Filtering respirators

The gear filters and purifies the contaminated air. The user breathes the ambient air.

The ambient air must contain between 17 and 21% oxygen

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

In what situation will the respiratory protective equipment supply?

Is there a oxygen level throughout work? Note: a standard oxygen level is between 17 and 21%

What sort of pollutant is involved and exactly how toxic would it be?

Exactly what is the OEL, or permissible concentration amount of the pollutant?

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

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

To make sure sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) and the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) have to be greater than the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

For instance: when deciding on a filtering respirator (gas mask), you need to select the most suitable equipment using the protection levels shown from the table and judge the best filter (type and sophistication)

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

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

To be sure sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) and the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) should be in excess of the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

For example: when choosing self-contained breathing apparatus, you’ll want to pick the best fitting equipment based on the protection levels shown within the table and judge the right filter (type and sophistication).

Equipment suited to the work situation

When you have determined the proper group of respiratory protective equipment, you’ll need to be capable to adapt the gear on the work situation. It is essential to involve future users from the buying process since they’re the people who are best able to describe their activity.

The following parameters should be considered:

Physical characteristics in the wearer (beard, face scars, etc.) that can determine the size and style and type of protection (helmet, hood, facepiece, etc.)

Whether or not the person wears glasses or contact lenses, since there are special devices for attaching glasses

Work patterns: air line breathing systems be more effective fitted to more serious work; powered respirators can be used if the flow is sufficient counterbalance the negative pressure

The length of time that the gear will be worn: it is best to choose powered filtering respirators if you want to put them on in excess of An hour

Visibility requirements: with respect to the needs, we may recommend panoramic facepieces for improved visibility, single-use visors or hoods having a replaceable visor offering eye protection in the case of projections

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

Other personal protective gear and accessories for use: some types of equipment have integrated head, eye, ear and respiratory tract protection – these are helpful for welding operations, as an example.

Decontamination requirements applicable to respiratory protective clothing

Thermal constraints

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