Respiratory Protection

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Respiratory Protection
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What we will cover today

• When to use respirators
• What protection do respirators provide
• Types of respirators
• Who needs a Respiratory Safety Program?
• Written respiratory program elements.

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Hazardous Air Environment

• How to control atmospheric hazards?
• Engineer
• Containment
• Substitution
• Personal Protection Equipment- Respirators.

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Respirators

• OSHA considers the use of respirators to be the
  least satisfactory approach to control exposures
  because
• Respiratory Protection program is expensive
• Respirators must fit correctly
• Respirators are uncomfortable to wear
• Respirators impede communication and movement
• Only protect person wearing the respirator.

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When to use a Respirator?

• When it is not possible to engineer the hazard
  out with the use of
• Ventilation
• Containment
• Substituting less toxic materials
• Respirators must be worn by employees working in
  a hazardous atmospheric environment.
  

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When to use Respirators?

• Hazards produce atmospheric conditions exceeding
  Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL)-Set by OSHA
• Oxygen deficient atmospheres (lt16 oxygen up to
  3000 ft. altitude)
• Immediate Danger to Life and Health (IDLH)

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What is IDLH?

• Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
• Most chemicals have a listed IDLH level on the
  NIOSH website
• Oxygen deficiency is also IDLH
• IDLH conditions can occur in confined or enclosed
  spaces, large chemical spills or leaks and fires

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What do respirators do?

• Protect workers from inhaling harmful substances
  such as
• Airborne vapors (Solvents)
• Gases (welding gases, Carbon Monoxide)
• Dusts (Solid particles from sanding, grinding,
  cutting)
• Fumes (Plastic injection, Smelting)
• Smoke (produced by burning)
• Mists (Droplets of liquid, oils, paints)
• Biological Hazards (Bacteria, mold, viruses)

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Types of Respirators
Air-purifying respirators filters air through
cartridges or filtering face pieces (dust
masks) Powered air-purifying respirators
filters air through cartridges with assistance of
a blower. Supplied air line respirators (SAR)
provides unlimited clean air from a
compressor. Self-contained breathing apparatus
(SCBA) provides 30- 60 minutes of clean air
from a tank. Escape respirators provides air
for escape only from a small bottle.
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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.
• These units have a service life -must be changed
  according to manufacturers recommendations.

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Assigned Protection Factor (APF)

• Each Air Purifying Respirator has
• An APF which is a number that lets the user know
  the percentage of contaminants which will pass
  through the filter.
• Example APF of 10 for a respirator means that a
  user could expect to inhale no more than one
  tenth of  the airborne contaminant present
  (numbers vary form 10-1000)
• Air Purifying Respirators also have a NIOSH
  Filter Efficiency Level Designator.

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NIOSH Filter Efficiency Levels
Class 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 99.97 of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil.
R95 Filters at least 95 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 99.97 of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil.
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Example N 95
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Hazard Protection

• Respirators can control different hazards or a
  combination of hazards.
• Particulate Respirators
• Gas/vapor Respirators
• Combination gas/vapor/particulate respirators.
• Depends on filtering medium-Check the respirator
  manufacturers information sheets enclosed with
  each respirator.

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Air-purifying respirators
Quarter Mask
Half Mask
Full Facepiece
Dust mask
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Powered-air Purifying Respirator
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Atmosphere-supplyingRespirators

• Supply clean air directly to the user from a
  source other than the air surrounding the user.
• - Compressor
• - Compressed air tank
• - Pony Tank

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Supplied Airline Respirators
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Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
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Escape Respirators
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When do you need a Written program?

• Whenever the hazards requires employees to wear
  respirators when it necessary to protect the
  health of employees due to
• Insufficient amounts of oxygen
• Exposed to harmful levels of gases or vapor
• Exposure to respiratory hazards like dusts,
  mists, fumes, sprays, and other airborne
  particles
• Any voluntary use of a non disposable fitted
  respirator for nuisance hazards

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Who doesnt need a program?

• Hazard is below Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL)
• Employer determines respirator does
  not create a hazard
• Only voluntary use of a disposable dust mask
  respirators exempts you from a written program.

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Voluntary User must

• Read and follow manufacturers instructions on
• - Use
• - Maintenance
• - Cleaning Care
• - Warning limitations of respirators
• Choose correct respirators
• Do not use respirators in a manner they are
  not intended to be used.
• Keep track of your respirator

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When to use respirators?

• When it is not possible to reduce hazards below
  Permissible Exposure Levels (PEL) by
• Engineer out hazard
• Use ventilation
• Confine the operations
• Substitute less toxic material
• Respirators Must Be Used

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The Next Step

• We talked about
• - What respirators do
• - When to use a respirator
• - Types of respirators
• - Who needs a written program
• Next Step
• Written Respiratory Protection Program
• (sample program will be provided)

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Written Respiratory Protection Program

• 1. Selection
• 2. Medical evaluation
• 3. Fit testing
• 4. Use
• 5. Maintenance and care
• 6. Breathing air quality and use
• 7. Training
• 8. Program evaluation

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Respirator Selection
One of the most important task is selecting the
correct respirator for the hazard. Knowledge of
chemical identity, extent of use, levels in the
air and permissible limits is needed. You must
conduct a workplace hazard assessment air
sampling may be necessary.
Personal air sampler
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Respirator Selection
Conditions
Type of Respirator
IDLH conditions or oxygen deficiency SCBA or respirator with escape bottle
Dust/chemical levels up to 1000 times PEL Respirator with full face piece or hood
Dust/chemical levels up to 100 times PEL Air-purifying respirator with full face piece
Dust/chemical levels up to 50 times PEL Powered air purifying respirator with half face piece
Dust/chemical levels up to 10 times PEL Air-purifying respirator with half face piece
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Respirator Selection Help

• www.osha.gov has an e-tool for respirator
  selection
• MSDS- Has required PPE, including types of
  respirators.
• Manufacturers of respirator website have
  selection tools.

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Medical Evaluation

• Must be done for all employees that wear
  respirators. (prior to first use)
• Determine employees ability to wear the
  respirator
• Questionnaire must be reviewed by Physician or
  Other Licensed Health Care Professional
• On-line service

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Additional Medical Evaluation

• Annual review of medical status is not required
• At a minimum, employer must provide additional
  medical evaluations if
• Employee reports medical signs or symptoms
  related to the ability to use a respirator
• PLHCP, supervisor, or program administrator
  informs the employer that an employee needs to be
  reevaluated
• Information from the respirator program,
  including observations made during fit testing
  and program evaluation, indicates a need
• Change occurs in workplace conditions that may
  substantially increase the physiological burden
  on an employee

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Fit Testing

• Respirators Must Fit Properly

Fit-testing must be done before first wearing a
respirator. Tight-fitting respirators must fit
properly to prevent leaks around the
edges. Anything that prevents a snug fit will
disqualify employee from wearing a fitted
respirator.
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Qualitative Fit Test (QLFT)

• A pass/fail fit test to assess the adequacy of
  respirator fit that relies on the individuals
  response to the test agent.
• Must be done by Qualified Tester.
• Must be done every time respirator is
  changed.
• Must be done annually

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Fit Testing
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Quantitative Fit Test (QNFT)
An assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit
by numerically measuring the amount of leakage
into the respirator.
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Use of Respirator

• Employees wearing tight-fitting respirators must
  perform a user seal check each time they put on
  the respirator
• Positive Pressure Check
• Negative Pressure Check

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User Seal Check

• An action conducted by the respirator user to
  determine if the respirator is properly seated to
  the face.

Positive Pressure Check
Negative Pressure Check
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Cleaning Maintenance

• Respirators must be cleaned, inspected and
  maintained regularly.
• Respirator maintenance and repair are essential
  for proper functioning.
• Store in a clean, dry place. Usually comes with a
  bag to store in.

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Training and Information
Employers must provide effective training to
employees who are required to use respirators.
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Program Evaluation

• Who must conduct evaluations of the workplace to
  ensure effective implementation of the program?
• -By Management
• - By User
• When
• As necessary at least annually

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Program Evaluation

• Must regularly consult employees required to use
  respirators to assess their views on program
  effectiveness and to identify and correct any
  problems.
• factors to be assessed include, but are not
  limited to
• respirator fit (including effect on workplace
  performance)
• appropriate selection
• proper use
• proper maintenance

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Respiratory Program Responsibilities

• Management
• Specific applications for required use of
  respiratory protection program
• Provide proper equipment
• Training
• Written program documentation

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Respiratory Program Responsibilities

• Managers/Supervisors
• All employees are knowledgeable of the program
• Compliance with the program including inspection,
  maintenance, and cleaning
• Disciplinary procedures for employees that dont
  comply

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Respiratory Program Responsibilities

• Employees
• Have an awareness of program requirements as
  explained by management.
• For wearing proper respirator as supplied by
  management.
• Maintaining equipment in a clean and operational
  condition.

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Respirator Essentials Summary

• Proper Selection
• Medical Evaluation
• Proper Fit
• Proper Use
• Proper Care
• Training
• Written Respiratory Safety Program