Respiratory Protection

1
Respiratory Protection

• Healthcare Workers

2
Session Objectives

• You will be able to
• Recognize respiratory hazards in your job
• Identify and use appropriate respiratory
  protection
• Get a good, safe fit when using a respirator
• Inspect, maintain, and store respirators properly

3
What You Need to Know

• The facilitys respiratory protection program
• OSHA requirements
• Respiratory hazards
• Capabilities and limitations of respirators
• Respirator selection, fit, inspection, cleaning,
  and storage

4
When Do You Need to Wear a Respirator?

• When airborne levels of a hazardous substance are
  higher than the PEL
• When you work with or around TB patients
• For emergency response operations

Image Credit RAE Systems
5
The Facilitys Respiratory Protection Program

• Written operating procedures
• Respirator selection, use, training, and fitting
• Respirator maintenance, storage, and inspection
• Work area surveillance
• Medical examinations
• Evaluation

6
Respiratory Hazards

• Hazardous substances that release airborne
  contaminants
• Chemical spill cleanups
• TB bacteria
• Some laboratory procedures
• Laser plumes

Image Credit WISHA
7
Respiratory Hazards (cont.)

• Inhaling some substances can cause
• Lung and tissue damage or irritation
• Respiratory diseases
• Cancer and other serious illness
• Death

8
Respiratory Hazards (cont.)

• Dont depend on smell or vision to identify
  contaminants
• Dont rely on surgical masks or dust masks to
  protect you from all hazards

9
Respiratory Protection Hazards and Requirements

• Do you understand the information that has been
  presented so far?

10
Two Basic Types of Respirators

• Air-purifying respirators
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators

Photo credit OSHA
Photo credit OSHA
11
Selecting the Right Respirator

• Hazards determine respirator selection
• MSDSs provide recommendations
• You will be told what kind of respirator to use

12
Getting the Right Fit

• Fits securely but not too tightly
• Doesnt pinch nose
• Doesnt slip
• Leaves room to move head and talk

13
Getting the Right Fit (cont.)

• Qualitative test
• Quantitative test
• Retesting

14
Seal-Checking Your Respirator

• Positive pressure test
• Negative pressure test

Photo credit OSHA
15
Other Factors That Affect Fit

• Beards
• Eyeglasses
• Incompatible facial features

16
Not Everybody Can Wear a Respirator

• You may not be able to wear a respirator if you
  have
• Breathing problems
• A heart condition
• Claustrophobia
• Heat sensitivity

17
Inspect Respirators Before Each Use

• Check to make sure there are no
• Holes
• Cracks
• Deterioration
• Dents
• Loose connections
• And report any problems to your supervisor

18
Clean Respirators After Each Use

• Remove filters
• Wash and rinse
• Carefully replace valves

Photo credit WISHA
19
Clean Respirators After Each Use (cont.)

• Dry with cloth or air dry
• Reassemble, then test
• Dont reuse dust masks

20
Store Respirators Properly

• Protect equipment from damage, sunlight, or
  contamination
• Store respirator and dry cartridges in a clean
  container or bag
• Do not allow the face piece to be distorted

21
Safe Use of Respirators

• Do you understand the information presented about
  respirator selection, fit, inspection, and
  maintenance?

22
Key Points to Remember

• Understand the hazards of dangerous airborne
  substances in your job
• Always choose the right respirator for the
  hazards you face
• Know how to properly fit, use, inspect, clean,
  and store respirators
• Inspect respirators before each use
• Report problems with respirators immediately