Notes

The way to Select The Right Kind of Respiratory Protection







Filtering or powered respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, emergency escape breathing devices, self-rescuers plus much more... Many of these are classified as respiratory protective gear! Now you ask: when if you work with them, and most importantly, how will you select the right equipment to provide maximum protection?


Here's a good practice guide to assist you to select the right sort of respiratory protection.

When are you looking to use respiratory protection?
Before you make the wearing of respiratory protective clothing (RPE) mandatory, you must 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 perhaps they are insufficient, you will have to provide respiratory protective gear.

Respiratory protective gear can be used:

If you find a risk a person’s health will likely be altered because of inhaling air that is polluted by gases, vapours, dust and aerosols or by oxygen-depleted air in the workplace;
When intervening to tackle a fire or gas leak, along with closed spaces where the atmosphere can be dangerous because of inhalation;
In closed areas having an insufficient oxygen supply (contaminated areas).
There are lots of varieties of respiratory protective equipment suitable for each situation and particular field. They work by placing physical barrier relating to the polluted atmosphere in the workplace and the worker’s face (respiratory tract, eyes, skin). These units are classed as Personal Protective Equipment, so it will be vital that you make a good choice to make sure you are well protected.

Carry out an evaluation in the workstation
You should define the conditions of use beforehand:

Oxygen level
Type of pollutants (gas, vapours, dust, etc.)
Toxicity from the pollutants
Worst-case-scenario concentrations of every form of pollutant in mid-air
Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs), if appropriate
Dimensions of the particles when it comes to aerosols
Exercising from the user
Time period of the task to become completed
Related risks (projection of fluids, fire, etc.)
Respiratory equipment selection guide
There's two broad categories of respiratory protective clothing:

Self-contained breathing apparatus
The apparatus supplies breathable air from an external source. The person is not dependent upon the ambient air
May be used in closed and confined spaces
Always employ this sort of protection if you find question regarding the excellence of the air, plus all atmospheres by having an oxygen level < 17%
Filtering respirators
The device filters and purifies the contaminated air. The person breathes the ambient air.
The ambient air must contain between 17 and 21% oxygen
That will help you determine the respiratory protective gear suitable to your wants, we've provided a decision-making chart using the following questions:

In what situation will the respiratory protective equipment supply?
Is there a oxygen level throughout work? Note: a normal oxygen level is between 17 and 21%
What sort of pollutant is involved and the way toxic could it be?
What's the 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 beyond your facepiece / Permissible concentration of contaminant inside facepiece, or OEL.

To ensure sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) as well as the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) must be higher than the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

As an example: when deciding on a filtering respirator (gas mask), you need to select the most suitable equipment in line with the protection levels shown inside the table and pick the correct 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 should determine the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

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

To make certain sufficient protection, the Nominal Protection Factor (NPF) along with the Assigned Protection Factor (APF) should be higher than the minimum required Protection Factor (PF).

As an example: when choosing self-contained breathing apparatus, you should select the best suited equipment depending on the protection levels shown in the table and judge the correct filter (type and sophistication).

Equipment worthy of the job situation
Once you have determined the correct group of respiratory protective gear, you'll need to be able to adapt the equipment on the work situation. It is very important involve future users within the buying process because they're the people who are best capable to describe their activity.

These parameters need to be looked at:

Physical characteristics in the wearer (beard, face scars, etc.) which will determine the scale and kind of protection (helmet, hood, facepiece, etc.)
Perhaps the person wears contacts or glasses, as there are special devices for attaching glasses
Work patterns: air line breathing systems are better fitted to more serious work; powered respirators can be used if your flow is enough to offset the negative pressure
How long for which the gear will probably be worn: it is best to decide on powered filtering respirators if you wish to wear them for longer than 1 hour
Visibility requirements: with regards to the needs, we may recommend panoramic facepieces for improved visibility, single-use visors or hoods with a replaceable visor offering eye protection in the event of projections
Communication requirements: there are models with phonic membranes and voice amplifiers enabling communication in harsh conditions like confined spaces
Other personal protective gear and accessories for use: some types of equipment have integrated head, eye, ear and respiratory system protection - they are ideal for welding operations, for example.
Decontamination requirements applicable to respiratory protective clothing
Thermal constraints
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