A Guide to Respiratory Safety
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2006
by Carissa Parsons
Gallaway Safety & Supply
Respiratory Safety
By: Carissa Parsons -Starting with the Basics…
The respiratory system is one of the most important functions of the human anatomy unfortunately, it is also one of the most vulnerable and over-looked areas of personal care.It is important to recognize when and in what environments respiratory protection is needed. The information on this page should provide you with everything you need to know about respiratory safety.
Respirator Background Information…
Respirators protect the user in two basic ways. The first is by the removal of contaminants from the air. Respirators of this type include particulate respirators, which filter out airborne particles and "gas masks" which filter out chemicals and gases.Other respirators protect by supplying clean air from another source. Respirators that fall into this category include airline respirators, which use compressed air from a remote source and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which include their own air supply.
Respirators should only be used as a "last line of defense" when engineering control systems are not feasible. Engineering control systems, such as adequate ventilation or scrubbing of contaminants should be used to negate the need for respirators.
NIOSH issues recommendations for respirator use. Industrial type approvals are in accordance to the NIOSH federal respiratory regulations 42 CFR Part 84. The developments of respirator standards are in concert with various partners from government and industry.
Regulatory Information…
OSHA: Respiratory protection hazards are addressed in specific standards for maritime, construction, and general industries. This page highlights OSHA standards, Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), Regulatory Agenda (a list of actions being taken with regard to OSHA standards), preambles to final rules (background to final rules), directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) and publications.Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".
OSHA's revised Respiratory Protection Standard went into effect April 8, 1998. The final standard replaces the respiratory protection standards adopted by OSHA in 1971 (29 CFR 1910.134 and 29 CFR 1926.103). The 1910.139 respirator standard that applied only to respiratory protection against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis was withdrawn December 31, 2003. Establishments whose respirator protection programs for tuberculosis formerly covered under 29 CFR 1910.139 were required to adapt their programs to comply with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134, effective July 2, 2004.
NIOSH Approved Respirators
NIOSH is testing and certifying Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and Air Purifying Respirators (APR) for use by emergency responders in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) environments. These pages list all currently certified models.NIOSH-Approved Disposable Particulate Respirators (Filtering Facepieces)
Provides a listing of NIOSH-approved disposable particulate respirators that health care workers can use to help protect themselves from diseases potentially spread through the air, such as SARS, Tuberculosis, or the Avian Influenza Virus.CBRN Respirator Standards Development Efforts (CDC)
Ongoing efforts to develop standards and test procedures for all classes of respirators that will provide respiratory protection against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear inhalation hazards. Includes Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR), Escape Respirators, Full Facepiece APRs, and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).Standards Development Efforts for Respiratory Devices Used to Protect Workers in Hazardous Environments
Ongoing efforts to develop standards and test procedures for all classes of respirators used to protect workers in hazardous environments. Includes Close-circuit Self-contained Self Rescuers (SCSR), multifunction Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR), Total Inward Leakage (TIL) Concepts, and concepts for the Quality Assurance Module.Full Text (ASCII): Respiratory Protective Devices, 42 CFR Part 84
Includes the test requirements that a filter and respirator must meet for NIOSH to grant an approval to a manufacturer.Types of Respirators…
Because there are so many types and sub-types of respirators, it is important to know which one you will need for different situations. This is a brief summary of the types of respirators, taken from OSHA’s web site. If you want further information on this topic, go to www.osha.gov.AIR-PURIFYING RESPIRATORS have filters, cartridges, or canisters that remove contaminants from the air by passing the ambient air through the air-purifying element before it reaches the user.
There are 3 types of air-purifying respirators:
1. Particulate Respirators**
- capture particles in the air, such as dusts, mists, and fumes
- do not protect against gases or vapors
- generally become more effective as particles accumulate on the filter and plug spaces between the fibers
- ilters should be replaced when user finds it difficult to breath through them
Are there oil particles (lubricants, cutting fluids, glycerine, etc.) present?
| SERIES | Efficiency Levels of particulate removal desired |
| N (not for use with oil particulates) N95 N99 N100 | 95% |
| R (oil resistant, but may require time limits) R95 R99 R100 | 99% |
| P (oil proof) P95 P99 P100 | 99.97% |
** The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued precautions that should be used with regard to avian influenza viruses. The CDC has recommended an N95 series respirator for adequate protection against the Avian Bird Flu Virus.
For the most current information see the CDC or WHO websites:
CDC
WHO
2. Combination Respirators
- are normally used in atmospheres that contain hazards of both particulates and gases
- have both particulate filters and gas/vapor filters
- may be heavier
3. Gas & Vapor Respirators
- are normally used when there are only hazardous gases and vapors in the air
- use chemical filters (called cartridges or canisters) to remove dangerous gases or vapors
- do not protect against airborne particles
- are made to protect against specific gases or vapors
- provide protection only as long as the filter's absorbing capacity is not depleted
- the service life of the filter depends upon many factors and can be estimated in various ways
ATMOSPHERE-SUPPLYING RESPIRATORS supply clean air directly to the user from a source other than the air surrounding the user.
Employers are required to provide employees using atmosphere-supplying respirators (supplied air and self contained breathing apparatus) with breathing gases of high purity, and shall ensure that compressed air, compressed oxygen, liquid air, and liquid oxygen used for respiration is in accordance with the specifications of OSHA Standard 1910.134(i).
There are 3 types of atmosphere-supplying respirators:
1. Air-Supplied Respirators
- makes use of a hose to deliver clean, safe air from a stationary source of compressed air
- provides clean air for long periods of time and are light weight for the user
- limits the range of user-mobility and may fail due to hose damage
- also called airline respirators
- are normally used when there are extended work periods required in atmospheres that are not immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
- have an auxiliary self-contained air supply that can be used if the primary supply fails
- the self-contained portion can be small since it only needs to supply enough air for escape
- can be used for entry into confined spaces
- are normally used when there are extended work periods required in atmospheres that are or may be immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
- consists of a wearable, clean-air supply pack
- do not restrict movement with a hose connection
- the closed-circuit type can provide air up to 4 hours
- the open-circuit type only provide air for 30 - 60 minutes
- are normally used when there is a short-time needed to enter and escape from atmospheres which are or may be immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic 2004
DHHS (NIOSH) Pub. No. 2005-100
Provides a process that respirator program administrators can use to select appropriate respirators to protect workers in specific workplaces. Replaces the NIOSH Respirator Decision Logic (NIOSH Publication No. 87-108), and includes information on N-95 through P-100 particulate respirators.
Particulate Respirators and Avian Influenza…
Recent CDC infection control guidance documents provide recommendations that healthcare workers and other at-risk individuals protect themselves from diseases potentially spread through the air (such as Avian Influenza) by wearing a fit tested respirator at least as protective as a NIOSH-approved N-95 respirator.
An N-95 respirator is one of 9 types of disposable particulate respirators. Particulate respirators are also known as "air-purifying respirators" because they protect by filtering particles out of the air you breathe. Workers can wear any one of the particulate respirators for protection against diseases spread through the air- if they are NIOSH approved and if they have been properly fit tested and maintained. NIOSH-approved disposable respirators are marked with the manufacturer's name, the part number (P/N), the protection provided by the filter (e.g. N-95), and "NIOSH."
Select a type of disposable particulate respirator (filtering face piece) and click on the appropriate link to view a list of manufacturers/suppliers and model numbers:
Type Description N95 Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil N99 Filters at least 99% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil N100 Filters at least 99.7% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil R95 Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Somewhat resistant to oil R99* Filters at least 99% of airborne particles. Somewhat resistant to oil R100* Filters at least 99.7% of airborne particles. Somewhat resistant to oil P95 Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil P99* Filters at least 99% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil P100 Filters at least 99.7% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil
* No NIOSH approvals are held by this type of disposable particulate respirator.
Gallaway Safety & Supply
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