ONLINE selfstudy

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ONLINE self-study

• UNC Respiratory Protection Program for Public
  Safety Department

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Page Title

• Class Objectives

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Class Objectives

• Introduction to the Respiratory Protection
  Program
• Understand why Respiratory Protective Equipment
  has been issued to UNC-CH Police Officers.
• Be able to discuss the types of chemical
  inhalation hazards including riot control agents,
  CBRN agents, and miscellaneous chemicals used at
  UNC-CH.
• Review biological agents.
• Explain the different types of Respiratory
  Protective Equipment Used.
• Review Respirator Use Procedures.
• Review Medical Evaluation Procedures.
• Understand the purpose of respirator fit-testing
• Review Respirator Inspection, Maintenance, and
  Storage Procedures.

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• Introduction

5
Introduction

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  (UNC-CH)
• Respiratory Protection Program describes written
  policy and
• procedures for the use of respirators to protect
  the health of
• employees in accordance with the Occupational
  Safety and
• Health Administrations (OSHA) Respiratory
  Protection
• Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 (General Industry
  Respirator
• Standard).
• The purpose of the Respiratory Protection Program
  is to
• prevent occupational illnesses and disease as
  result
• of employee exposure to unsafe levels of airborne
  hazards in
• the occupational setting.

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Introduction

• The primary means to control occupational
  exposures caused
• by breathing contaminated air is through the use
  of feasible
• engineering controls, such as enclosures,
  confinement of
• operations, ventilation, or substitution of less
  toxic materials.
• When effective engineering controls and other
  types of
• workplace controls (administrative, product
  substitution, etc.)
• are not feasible, or while they are being
  instituted,
• appropriate respirators shall be used. The use
  of respirators
• is the last line of defense.
• An effective respirator program is critical for
  the safe use of
• the issued respiratory protective equipment.

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• Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
  Safety

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• Why does Public Safety need a respirator? Some
  examples include
• Maintaining the perimeter at crowd-control
  incidents where tear gas is used
• Terrorism/Chemical/Biological threat incidents
  (warm cold zone requirements)
• To prevent exposure to airborne respiratory
  infectious agents (i.e. influenza virus)
• The following slides explains these examples
  further.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• 1) Maintaining the perimeter at crowd-control
• incidents where tear gas is used
• Crowd Control includes riots, disorders, and
  violence arising
• from dissident gatherings and marches, rock
  concerts,
• political conventions, and personal violence
  among two or
• more persons.
• Respirators could be used by officers during the
  release of
• warning smoke, tear-gas, or other types of
  riot control
• agents when there is a potential for exposure to
  airborne
• forms of these agents such as when encountered
  when
• maintaining crowd control.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• An example of an incident which law enforcement
• personnel used respiratory protective equipment
  for
• protection against riot control agents was in
  Seattle, 1999,
• during the World Trade Organization protests and
• demonstrations.
• Police officers used tear gas and other devices
  to control
• crowds of protestors. The following slides were
  taken on
• Wednesday, December 1, 1999 in downtown Seattle,
  WA.
• The following two pages illustrate the
  demonstrations that
• occurred and use of tear gas by Seattle Police
  Officers to
• control the crowds of protestors. The third
  slide illustrates
• riot police in full dress (including gas masks at
  their sides)
• where they arrested hundreds of protestors in
  Westlake
• Park, downtown Seattle.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• Left Picture The line is drawn at 4th and
  Pike Street.
• Right Picture Tear gas is launched at 4th and
  Pike Street.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• Left Picture After dark, 4th and Pike
  Street
• Middle Picture Police Use Teargas Again
• Right Police occupy 4th and Pike
  Again

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• Left Picture Riot Control Police at 4th and Pike
  St, Seattle, Dec 1, 1999.
• Right Picture Police contain and arrest hundreds
  of protestors in Westlake Park

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• 2) Terrorism/Chemical/Biological threat
  incidents
• It is a threat that we hope never happens, but we
  must be
• prepared if an incident does occur. Public
  Safety may be
• in the area of a threat or incident or may be
  required to help
• enforce exclusion/barrier/ security zones once
  exposure
• conditions are understood. Public Safety may
  also help victims
• and the public around the incident area.
• The respiratory equipment (gas mask with P100
  filter
• chemical cartridge) issued provides protection
  against gasses,
• vapors, and all biological aerosol agents that
  could potentially
• be encountered.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• 2) Terrorism/Chemical/Biological threat incidents
  (Continued)
• The issued gas mask also provides protection
  against low level
• chemical warfare agents such as nerve and blister
  agents, but
• it is not designed to be used in oxygen deficient
  atmospheres
• or in areas where levels of agents exceed the
  limitations of the
• respirator chemical cartridge and are considered
  Immediately
• Dangerous to Life and Health.

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Purpose of Respiratory Protection for Public
Safety

• 3) To prevent exposure to airborne respiratory
  infectious agents (i.e. influenza virus)
• In the event of a pandemic influenza outbreak,
  research
• indicates that a N95 filtering face piece
  respirator is an
• adequate form of protection against the
  inhalation exposure
• hazard to the influenza virus due to the
  respirators ability to
• filter out very small size particles including
  the size of viruses.
• In addition to your issued disposable N95
  respirator, you use a
• combination filter/chemical protective cartridge
  (P/N 817588)
• with your MSA gas mask. The prefilter, is a P100
  filter, which has
• the highest filtering efficiency (99.97 against
  very small
• particles) of all NIOSH approved respirator
  filters. It is also
• protective against respiratory infectious agents.
  

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• Review of Airborne Hazards and Chemical
  Inhalation Hazards

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Review of Airborne Hazards and Chemical
Inhalation Hazards

• Airborne hazards which public safety could be
  potentially exposed
• during an incident generally fall into the
  following basic categories
• Gases. Gases are formless fluids that occupy the
  space or enclosure and which can be changed to
  the liquid or solid state only by the combined
  effect of increased pressure and decreased
  temperature.
• Vapors. Vapors are the gaseous form of substances
  that are normally in the solid or liquid state at
  room temperature and pressure.
• Smoke. Smoke consists of carbon or soot particles
  resulting from the incomplete combustion of
  carbonaceous materials such as coal or oil. Smoke
  generally contains droplets as well as dry
  particles.

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Review of Airborne Hazards and Chemical
Inhalation Hazards

• Dusts. Particles that are formed or generated
  from solid organic or inorganic materials by
  reducing their size through mechanical processes
  such as crushing, grinding, drilling, abrading,
  or blasting.
• Fumes. Particles formed when a volatilized solid,
  such as a metal, condenses in cool air. The
  media usually confuses the definition of vapor
  with fume.
• Oxygen deficiency. The respirators issued to
  Public Safety are not protective against oxygen
  deficient atmospheres. Only approved air
  supplying respirators (e.g. SCBAs such as used
  by Fire Fighters) can be used in this type of
  environment.

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Review of Airborne Hazards and Chemical
Inhalation Hazards

• Acute health effects are the negative effects
  from a substance that occur after one or multiple
  exposures in a short period of time. (e.g. the
  immediate effects of riot control agents
  explained on the next slides)
• Chronic health effects are the negative adverse
  health effects from a substance that occur over a
  longer period of time, usually from repeated
  exposure of low doses. Sometimes delayed for
  years. (Ex. Asbestos exposure)

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• Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-
• Riot Control Agents

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• Riot Control Agents Are compounds that cause
  temporary
• incapacitation by irritation of the eyes and
  irritation of the upper
• respiratory tract.
• They are often called irritants, irritating
  agents, and harassing agents.
• The general public usually calls them tear gas.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• When using riot-control agents you could be
  exposed to different
• airborne hazards through breathing fine droplets
  or particles in the
• air, or a combination of forms of agents.
• Some of the different riot control chemical types
  include
• -CS (Coroson/Stoughton), malenonitrile
• Pepper spray (Capsaicin)
• Oleoresin capsicum, the active ingredient of OC
  tear gas.
• CN (commercial) Mace chloracetophenone
• -DM (vomiting agent)
• Your issued MSA phalanx gas mask is protective
  against
• CN-Mace, CS irritant, and OC tear gas agents.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• Riot Control Agents Acute Health Effects of
  Exposure
• Eyes- burning, lacrimation, injection,
  blepharospasm
• Nose- Burning, rhinorrhea, sneezing
• Mouth- burning of mucosa membranes including
  palate and tongue.
• Airways- burning, tightness in the chest,
  coughing
• Skin- Burning, stinging, erythema

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• Long-lasting exposure or exposure to a large
  dose of riot control
• agent
• especially in enclosed, unventilated areas can
  cause severe effects
• such as the following
• Eyes- Blindness, Glaucoma (a serious eye
  condition that could lead to blindness).
• Nose- Severe burning
• Mouth- Severe chemical burns to the throat
• Airways- Severe chemical burns to the lungs
• Skin- Severe burns

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• Characteristics of Riot Control Agents
• Usual forms of dispersal and delivery consists of
  solid primarily
• (CS, CN,) and aqueous solution (e.g.
  CN-Mace).
• Dispersal devices consist of pressurized
  canisters (spray devices) explosive cartridges
  (pen guns, shotgun canisters)
• Dispersal forms consist of
• -solid suspended in the air (aerosol, smoke).
• -solution suspended in the air (true
  aerosol).

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• Degrees of Hotness
• -Measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
• Green bell pepper zero
• Jalapeno pepper 5,000
• Pepper Spray 5000,000 to 2 Million
• Pure capsaicin 15 Million
• The Scoville Organoleptic Scale was developed by
  Wilbur Scoville in 1919
• as a way to quantify a chile peppers heat.
  Originally, tasters were asked
• to judge how many parts of sugar water added to
  one part of chile essence
• were needed to completely erase the chiles heat.
  
• Now a chemical process called High Performance
  Liquid Chromatography
• (HPLC) measures capsaicin concentrations in
  chiles, but the Scoville scale is
• still very accurate, approx. 16 times the HPLC
  calculation.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-Riot
Control Agents

• How can you protect yourself from exposure to
  riot control agents?
• If released outdoors, move away from the area
  where released. Avoid dense, low-lying clouds of
  riot control agent vapor.
• Go to the highest ground possible, because riot
  control agents will form a dense cloud that can
  travel close to the ground.
• If the release of agents was indoors, get out of
  the building.
• Additional guidance can be found on the Center
  for Disease Control website at http//emergency.cd
  c.gov

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• Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-
• CBRN Toxic Industrial Chemicals

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• Classes of Threat Chemicals
• CBRN is an acronym for Chemical, Biological,
  Radiological, and
• Nuclear usually followed by a word like
  agents, weapons, or
• warfare.
• CBRN includes a full spectrum of potential and
  non-traditional
• threats from terrorism including chemical warfare
  agents and
• toxic industrial chemicals.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• What is a Chemical Warfare Agent?
• Synthesized substance used to incapacitate,
  seriously injure,
• or kill man as a result of its physiological
  effects.
• Can be disseminated by a variety of Means
  artillery, aircraft, or by non conventional
  methods
• Examples include Nerve Agents, Blistering
  Agents/Vesicants, Blood Agents.
• Can be disseminated by a variety of Means
  artillery, aircraft, or by non conventional
  methods
• Can be in form of Gas, Vapor, or Aerosol
  (droplets)
• Additional guidance on specific types of chemical
  warfare agents can be found on the Center for
  Disease Control website at http//emergency.cdc.go
  v

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• What is an example of a situation in the past
  where CBRN agents
• were used in terrorism?
• Sarin (Nerve Agent)- On a Monday morning in March
  1995, Aum Shinrikyo cultists released a cloud of
  impure Sarin gas in a crowded Tokyo subway. Even
  in dilute form, the chemical killed 12 and
  sickened thousands. Though they posed no threat
  in the U.S., the cult had an office in New York
  City, just a few blocks from the Times Square
  subway station.
• Cyanide- A London plot to release cyanide gas on
  the Underground tube network was foiled with the
  arrest of three reported to have links to Al
  Quaeda.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• Toxic Industrial Chemicals
• Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) is a term that
  refers to
• chemical agents that are used in industrial
  operations
• which could be used by terrorists. The
  intentional use of
• TICs could cause not only health effects, but
  flammable
• and explosive hazards.
• Some examples of chemicals that are considered
  TICs
• Include Anhydrous Ammonia, Acrylontirile,
  Propane,
• Ethylene Oxide, and Chlorine.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• Toxic Industrial Chemicals
• The University uses a variety of chemicals for
  research
• procedures and in industrial work areas for work
  processes.
• There are federal and state regulations (e.g.
  HAZCOM and
• environmental regulations) to ensure that these
  materials are
• properly controlled, inventories of materials are
  maintained,
• and to ensure that employees that work with them
• understand the potential hazards and safe use
  requirements
• for these materials.

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• Examples of chemicals at UNC
• Ammonium Nitrate
• Fertilizer
• Propane
• Tanks, forklifts
• Acetylene
• Welding
• Bromine
• Water treatment
• Chlorine
• Pools

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Review of Chemical Inhalation Hazards-CBRN
Toxic Industrial Chemicals

• Toxic Industrial Chemicals
• For more information regarding specific types
• of TICs, the Center for Disease Control and
• Prevention Website is an excellent resource.
• The following link takes you directly to their
• Chemical Emergencies Section where you can
• obtain more information regarding TICs
• http//emergency.cdc.gov/chemical/

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• Review of Biological Agents

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Review of Biological Agents

• What are Biological Agents? Viruses, Bacteria,
  Fungi,
• and biological toxins. Examples of Biological
  agents that
• could be used for terrorism
• -Anthrax,
• -Botulism toxin,
• -Smallpox,
• -Plague,
• -Staphylococcal bacteria, etc.
• Some agents are contagious, some are not. They
  require time
• after inhaled/ingested to multiply enough to
  overcome the
• bodys defenses. Routes of exposure inhalation,
  dermal route,
• orally, percutaneously (injected through skin).

39
Review of Biological Agents

• Bioterrorism the intentional use of
  microorganisms, or toxins, derived form living
  organisms, to produce death or disease in humans,
  animals, or plants.
• Bioterrorism- Did you know that the first
  bioterrorism incident against a U.S. community
  occurred in 1984? Oregons local heath
  authoritites closed down restraunts with salad
  bars after nearly 400 people became infected with
  Salmonella Typhimurium. A total of 751 people
  were victims of a bizarre scheme to hold down
  voter turnout. A religious cult called the
  Rajneeshees grew their own bacteria and
  intentionally contaminated salad bars.
• Anthrax- In October 2001, the testing Lab at For
  Detrick Maryland, found that anthrax spores sent
  to Senator Tom Daschle were extremely potent. It
  took months to clear all traces of the weapons
  grade anthrax from the Hart Senate Office
  Building.
• 2 postal workers in a mail facility that handled
  the anthrax-tainted letters also died.

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• Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

41
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• There are two primary types of respirators. They
  are called air-
• purifying and atmosphere supplying.
• Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) Both Negative
  Positive Pressure Types. Removes contaminants by
  mechanical removal of particulates using filters
  and chemical cartridges used for the removal of
  gasses vapors by adsorption (surface binding).
  They cant be worn in oxygen-deficient or IDLH
  atmospheres. The air concentration must be
  within the maximum use concentration of the
  respirator.
• Atmosphere Supplying Provides fresh breathing
  air (Grade D quality) from an external source.
  Examples of types of supplied air are Airline
  respirators, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
  (SCBA), and Escape only respirators.

42
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• What type of Respirator does Public Safety use?
• Air-Purifying Respirator A respirator with an
  air-purifying filter,
• cartridge, or canister that removes specific air
  contaminants (such as
• gas, vapor, particulate, or combinations) by
  passing ambient air
• through the air-purifying element.

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Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• A Filtering Facepiece Respirator is a particulate
  respirator with
• the entire facepiece composed of the filtering
  medium. It is protective
• against aerosols of very small size which could
  enter your respiratory
• system (less than one micrometer size) such as
  particles, dusts,
• generated from dusty operations and infectious
  diseases.
• The 3M 9211 N95 respirator issued to public
  safety is also protective against
• biological infectious agent aerosols and
  viruses such as influenza viruses and
• could be used for inhalation protection in the
  event of an Influenza pandemic
• outbreak..

44
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• MSA Phalanx Gas Mask

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Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• MSA Phalanx Respirator/Gas Mask The MSA Phalanx
• respirator/gas mask that has been issued to you
  when used with
• canister P/N 817589 is also effective against the
  following
• chemical warfare agents Nerve GA, GB (Sarin),
  GD, VX, Blister
• mustard and lewisite and ALL Biological Warfare
  agents.
• It is also effective against OC (Oleoresin
  Capsicum) Riot Control
• Agent and HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide), but is not
  approved nor
• has it been tested by the National Institute of
  Occupational
• Safety and Health (NIOSH).

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Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• MSA Phalanx Respirator/Gas Mask Manufacture
  Information
• (Please click on link below to pull up Phalanx
  Gas Mask Specifications)

47
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• MSA Phalanx Respirator/Gas Mask The respirator
  canister (cartridge)
• is composed of a combination particulate filter
  (P100 filter) and treated
• activated carbon bed. In combination, this
  cartridge is protective against
• aerosols, gasses, and vapors. The issued gas
  mask is equipped with a
• combination filter/and chemical cartridge. The
  P100 filter has greater filtering
• efficiency (99.97) against aerosols of 0.3 um
  median diameter size). It has a
• higher filter efficiency than the 3M 9211 N95
  filtering facepiece.

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Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• Gas Mask Chemical Cartridge/Canister It is
  important to implement a
• chemical cartridge change out schedule. For
  Public Safety the change schedule is
• to dispose the cartridge and obtain a new one
  after each response action.
• The change schedule will ensure that canisters or
  cartridges are
• changed before their end of service life.
• This will help prevent break-through of the
  chemical cartridge and
• will prevent the wearer from being exposed to air
  contaminants as a
• result of overuse of a saturated chemical
  cartridge. When using a
• respirator for protection for gasses and vapors,
  if you detect a
• chemical taste, smell, or irritation, you should
  exit to a clean area and
• replace the cartridges and inspect the respirator
  immediately.

49
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• Atmosphere-Supplying Respirator is a respirator
  that supplies the user with
• breathing air from a source independent of the
  ambient atmosphere. Types
• include supplied-air respirators (SARs) and
  self-contained breathing apparatus
• (SCBA) units.
• The types of respirators used by Public Safety
  are not air-supplying!! They are
• air purifying respirators.

50
Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) is an
  atmosphere supplying
• respirator for which the breathing air source is
  designed to be carried by the
• user. This type of respirator is considered to
  provide the highest level of
• respiratory protection. Pressure-demand types of
  SCBAs are used for fire
• fighting, rescue, emergency response, and other
  situations.
• This respirator is acceptable for
  oxygen-deficient conditions, and against a wide
• variety of contaminants, and for entry into IDLH
  atmospheres.
• Disadvantage is that the work time is limited to
  amount of air in the external tank
• and the extra weight of the tank.

51

• Respirator Use Procedures

52
Respirator Use Procedures

• Respirator Instructions for Use and Care At
  this time, ensure that
• you read and understand the MSA Phalanx Alpha
  respirator/ gas
• mask manufacture instruction manual. Review and
  understand the
• content which includes
• Instructions for Use and Care
• Preparations for Use
• Test for Tightness
• Replacing the Canister
• Using the Inlet Port Plug
• Maintenance
• Cleaning Disinfecting
• Storage
• Other Gas Mask Uses
• The following slides will review important
  content from the Gas Mask
• Instruction Manual.

53
Respirator Use Procedures

• Preparations for Use There are five inspection
  points, that must be checked
• before donning the respirator. Under no
  circumstances should a respirator
• that fails inspection be used. The respirator
  must be repaired or replaced.
• Head harness Check to see that the head harness
  straps still have their
• elasticity. Inspect for cracks or tears and
  make sure all buckles are in place
• and working properly.
• Facepiece Check facepiece for dirt, debris,
  cracks, tears or holes.
• Inspect the shape of the facepiece for possible
  distortion that may occur
• from improper storage and make sure the rubber is
  flexible, not stiff.

54
Respirator Use Procedures

• Preparations for Use (Contd)
• Inhalation and exhalation valves Check for
  cracks, tears,
• distortion, dirt or build-up of material between
  valve and the
• valve seat.
• Facepiece inlet port Check to make sure the
  inlet port
• threads are free of damage such as crossed
  threads and that
• the canister sealing surface of the facepiece is
  clean and free
• of dirt or other foreign matter. Make sure the
  inlet port
• plugs are in place on the side of the facepiece
  opposite the
• canister.

55
Respirator Use Procedures

• Note the face piece inlet port on the Left is
  securely in place
• Note that on the right side of the illustration
  the chemical cartridge is securely
• fastened and not cross-threaded!!

56
Respirator Use Procedures

• Preparations for Use (Contd)
• Canister Make sure the canister is clean. Never
  try to
• clean canister by washing it or using compressed
  air.
• Inspect the canister for dents, scratches or
  other damage.
• Assemble Gas Mask as Follows Place canister
  onto inlet
• port carefully. Hand tighten by turning
  clockwise to ensure
• a good seal against the gasket or facepiece.

57
Respirator Use Procedures

• Donning the Mask
• Extend all headband straps.
• Put your chin in first
• Grasp the two side straps in each hand, and pull
  the harness back over your head.
• To tighten straps, pull straight back, not out.
• Adjust straps as necessary to position face
  piece.

58
Respirator Use Procedures

• Respirator Tightness Test
• The facepiece must be subjected to the following
  tightness test before each
• use. Close off the inlet opening of the canister
  by covering with the palm
• of the hand inhale gently so that the facepiece
  collapses slightly, and hold the breath
• for ten seconds. If the face piece remains in
  its slightly collapsed condition and no
• Inward leakage of air is detected, the tightness
  of the respirator is considered
• satisfactory.
• The Face piece must pass the tightness test
  before the user
• should attempt to enter any toxic atmosphere.
  The mask will
• not furnish protection unless all inhaled air is
  drawn through
• the canister.

59

• Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

60
Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

• The use of Personal Protective Equipment
  (including a respirator) can
• itself create significant worker hazards such as
• -Heat stress,
• - Physical and psychological stress,
• - Impaired vision, impaired mobility, and
  impaired communication.
• In general, greater levels of PPE can cause the
  associated risk to
• increase. The next couple of slides addresses
  specific problems with
• the use of a respirator.

61
Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

• Impaired Vision Peripheral vision is impaired
  when using most types
• of full face respirators. Dependent on the type
  of respirator, you can
• only see a limited field of view. In addition,
  certain weather conditions
• such as high humidity and cold weather can fog
  the interior lens of the
• respirator which can further impair vision.
• Impaired Situational Awareness With the
  respirator donned, you
• must be cognizant of the surrounding work
  environment such as
• distance away from hazardous equipment, moving
  objects, potential slip,
• trips, and fall hazards, moving vehicles, etc.
• Impaired Communication Is much more difficult.
  Especially if
• using radios or talking to a buddy in PPE with
  background noise.

62
Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

• Facial Hair- facial hair that lies along the
  sealing area of the
• respirator such as beards, sideburns, or even a
  few days of
• growth of stubble, shall not be permitted because
  it will
• prevent a good seal and may cause leakage of the
  respirator,
• which could cause contaminants to enter your
  breathing zone.

63
Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

• Heat Stress In the summer months, this is a
  major
• concern. Ensure everyone is aware of the signs
  and
• symptoms of heat related injuries (e.g. heat
  rash, heat
• exhaustion, heat stroke).
• In addition, a person working in high
  temperatures is under
• increased levels of stress. Wearing a respirator
  causes
• additional stress. Cooling packs are recommended
  to help
• cool responders. They come in different styles
  by safety
• manufacturers.

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Safety Issues/Problems with Use of Respirators

• Fatigue has both a physical and psychological
  effect. During
• major response events, 1st Responders and support
  staff could be
• faced with a work schedule where routine meals or
  breaks are
• suddenly interrupted. Work conditions suddenly
  change from an
• office or training environment to real
  conditions.
• Recommendations consist of adequate work/rest
  cycles
• Use of the buddy system to identify signs of
  fatigue
• and enforcement of operational periods and
  fatigue
• recommendations in the field.

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• Medical Evaluation Requirements

66
Medical Evaluation Requirements

• Using a respirator may place a physiological
  burden, which varies
• with type of respirator worn, the job and
  workplace conditions in
• which the respirator is used, and the medical
  status of the
• employee. Potential negative physical demands of
  wearing a
• respirator include
• Extra strain on the heart
• Increased body temperature
• Heat Stress
• Dehydration
• Other ill health effects
• Each employee assigned to wear a respirator in
  carrying out his/her
• job responsibilities is to receive a medical
  evaluation to determine
• his/her ability to wear a respirator. The
  medical evaluation must
• be performed to determine the employees ability
  to use a respirator,
• before fit testing and use.

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Medical Evaluation Requirements

• OSHA requires employees to complete a medical
  questionnaire. At UNC-
• CH this is done at the University Employee
  Occupational Health
• Clinic (UEOHC), 145 N. Medical Drive. The medical
  staff will
• review the medical evaluation and determine the
  ability of the employee
• to wear a respirator.
• The UEOHC will provide the employee and their
  supervisor a written
• recommendation if any limitations are needed.
• Employees are encouraged to discuss the
  questionnaire and examination
• results with a member of the UEOHC medical staff.

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• Respirator Fit-Testing Procedures

69
Respirator Fit-Testing Procedures

• Why?
• Performed to make sure the respirator properly
  fits your facial structure and to ensure that you
  know how to properly don the respirator without
  assistance.
• OSHA requires prior to initial use, whenever a
  different respirator (size, style, model or make)
  is used and at least annually thereafter
• Your fit is affected by changes in facial
  structure due to weight loss, scarring, surgery,
  facial hair, etc.

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• Respirator Maintenance Storage Requirements

71
Respirator Maintenance Storage Requirements

• Inspection
• N95 should be inspected prior to use for rips
  tears or holes in the respirator
• Gas Mask should be inspected prior to each use
  and at least monthly thereafter.
• Check for proper function before and after each
  use (i.e. tightness of connections, and the
  condition varies part including facepiece, head
  straps, valves, connecting tube, and cartridges,
  canisters or filters, elastic parts for
  pliability and signs of deterioration)

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Respirator Maintenance Storage Requirements

• Storage
• Respirators must be protected from damage,
  contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme
  temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging
  chemicals
• Place your respirator in a clean individual bag
• Store masks with the face piece, exhalation
  valve, and breathing tubes in a natural,
  undistorted position
• Face pieces and other parts can be permanently
  deformed if they are smashed out of shape during
  storage. After its deformed, your respirator
  wont fit you anymore.

73
Respirator Maintenance Storage Requirements

• Repair
• Any defective respirator shall be removed from
  service, and shall be adjusted, repaired or
  discarded and replaced as appropriate.

74
Respirator Maintenance Storage Requirements

• Cleaning and Disinfecting
• Follow Manufacturer instructions!!!
• Clean in warm soapy water with disinfectant after
  each use
• Take care to clean the exhalation valve in the
  facepiece and all other parts that exhaled air
  contacts.

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References

• 1) Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
  Emergency Preparedness and Response Website
  http//emergency.cdc.gov/
• 2) History Link, The free encyclopedia of
  Washington State www.historylink.org
• 3) United States Army Medical Research Institute
  of Chemical Defense-Field Management of Chemical
  and Biological Casualty Course-Workbook.
• 4) Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Company Phalanx
  Riot Control Gas Mask Instruction Manual

76
Questions?
Any questions regarding UNC-CH Respiratory
Protection Program, please callPhone
919.962.5507 Web www.ehs.unc.edu