There is a huge selection of Respiratory Protective Equipment
(RPE) in the market place from simple dust masks to
sophisticated breathing apparatus. This choice is good, since it
ensures that everyone should be able to get just the right
equipment for their task. But it can also be completely
baffling! Having a good idea of what you want will enable you to
talk intelligently to your supplier and using his or her
expertise to your full advantage.
Below I'll run you through the ABC of selecting the right
equipment; but first, some simple background facts.
RPE works on one of two basic principles: either as a
respirator, which protects by filtering out contaminants from
the air; or breathing apparatus, which protects by supplying
clean air. Breathing apparatus can give a much higher protection
than respirators. In this article, I will concentrate on the
filtering type: respirators. To be honest, if your problem is so
big that you need breathing apparatus then you need more than I
can give you in and article, so buy in some expertise!
OK, so we're concentrating on filtering respirators. Again they
spilt down into two groups: those that have to fit tightly to
your face and those that don't. The group of tightly fitting
respirators can either cover your full face, or just half your
face - nose and mouth. Not surprisingly, these are called
full-face and half-face respirators. Some full-face respirators
can be fitted with a fan that draws air into the mask, and these
give higher protection. The loose-fitting group may be a
face-shield, hood or hood and blouse. They are all fitted with a
fan to draw air into the respirator.
And lastly, because they are respirators, we have to think about
the filter. All respirators are either fitted with a filter or,
if they are disposable, they are made of the filter material. It
is the filter that removes the contaminant and there are
different types depending on the contaminant. There are
different filters, for example, for dusts and mists, solvent
vapours, and gases of various types. Some filters are
combinations, giving protection against different contaminants.
This brings us to the ABC. A. What is the contaminant? B. How
much of it is there? C. Who is going to use it, where and how?
Let us have a look at these in a little more detail.
A. What is the contaminant? This decides what filter you need.
Dusts and mists usually simple, because they just come under
'particulate' filters: they filter out all kind of particles.
But if you have a chemical, solvent, gas, you need to be a
precise as possible so that the supplier can recommend the
correct filter.
B. How much of it is there? This decides what type of respirator
you need, because they have differing protective abilities. What
is the concentration in the air? Ideally, you will know this
from air measurements. Certainly, you need to do this if you are
dealing with something quite toxic. But often, 'a lot,' 'quite a
lot,' or 'not much' will do. Disposable half-masks will reduce
exposures by about 5 to 20 times, depending on their
construction. Full-face masks, visors, hoods and so on, will
reduce exposure by about 40 times.
C. Who is going to use it, where and how? The respirator has to
fit the worker comfortably otherwise it will not fit properly
and they probably won't wear it. Try out several types. There
may be workplace factors which need to be taken into account.
For example, do workers need good visibility, is the workplace
hot? And how will they use the equipment, for how long, in what
circumstances. These are all called worker and workplace
factors. The equipment has to be right for the work and right
for the worker - which is where that vast range of products
comes in!
So, now you have your well-chosen RPE. Here are just a few more
things to think about. First, respirators can only take away
contaminants: they cannot add anything to the air - like oxygen.
So don't be tempted to use them where there may be a shortage of
oxygen. Second, if the respirator is of the tight-fitting type
the worker should have a face-fit test. This is to make sure
there are no leaks around the seal. Ask your supplier if they do
the tests or if they can recommend anyone. Third, make sure your
workers understand what the respirator can and can' to; train
them to put on, wear and store the respirator properly. The
training may not be long or complicated, but if the worker uses
the respirator wrongly they won't get the protection. Forth, if
the respirator is disposable, throw it away after use. If it is
not, maintain it according to the supplier's instructions.
And finally, it is often said that respiratory protective
equipment is the 'last resort' for protecting workers. It is
more correct to say that protecting workers fully comes from a
mixture of measures and that RPE should be the last ingredient
to add to the mixture, if necessary.
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