THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTION INHALING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CAN DAMAGE THE DELICATE STRUCTURES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, AND IF HAZARDOUS PARTICULATES REACH THE LUNGS, THEY CAN DAMAGE TISSUE AND CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESSES. Each workplace will have its own safety challenges and hazards, and as a result will require an assessment to determine whether respiratory protective equipment is needed. Ideally, control methods should also be in place to ensure exposure to harmful substances is kept to a minimum.
RESPIRATORY STANDARDS
AS/NZS 1716:2012 RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
This Standard specifies requirements for Respiratory Protective Devices (Respirators) intended to provide protection against atmospheres containing substances that may be harmful if breathed and atmospheres that may be deficient in oxygen.
There are two major categories of respirators. Supplied Air Respirators (SAR’s) and Air Purifying Respirators (APR’s). The most commonly used are of the type that purifies the air, called Air Purifying Respirators (APR's) .
APR's are most commonly known as:
DISPOSABLE RESPIRATORS Single use, designed to be discarded after use. Disposable respirators are maintenance free and have no spare parts. They provide protection against dusts, mists and fumes. Application includes sawing, grinding, welding fume and bushfire smoke. Available in P1 (particulates generated by mechanical processes e.g. grinding, sanding) or P2 (particulates generated by mechanical and thermal processes e.g. welding). REUSABLE RESPIRATORS Available in half and full-face styles and come with a range of colour coded filters for different application. Half face masks provide protection against dusts, mists, fumes, gases and vapours by using specific filters. Applications include: painting, grinding, printing and mining. Full face respirators provide higher levels of respiratory protection and/or where eye or face protection is required. Industries where full face respirators are commonly used include the chemical, petroleum, steel and pharmaceutical industries. PAPR (POWERED AIR PURIFYING) RESPIRATORS These are an air purifying respirator (ARP), however there is a positive pressure through a continuous flow of filtered ambient air. PAPR's are used when extended wear times are necessary. Industries commonly using PAPR’s include pharmaceutical, food manufacturing and foundries.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SELECTION
When selecting the correct respiratory protection, the first step is to determine the level of hazard that is posed by the environment.
HARMFUL SUBSTANCES MAY PRESENT ITSELF IN MANY FORMS INCLUDING:
TYPE DESCRIPTION
Formed whenever solid material is broken down into smaller particulates. Dust may be generated by mechanical means. E.g. drilling, sawing and grinding
DUSTS
MISTS AND SPRAYS
Very small droplets of liquid materials suspended in the air
SMOKE Particulates of low vapour pressure suspended in the air, produced by the incomplete combustion of any material that has carbon in it
Particulates forming an airborne suspension. Fuming is usually caused whenever a metal, plastic or polymer is subjected to a high heat e.g. welding and soldering operations A substance which is like air – it is neither a solid or liquid, they are materials that become airborne at room temperature. Gases may have an odour, but many do not, and can travel long distances undetected
FUMES
NOTE: APR's are not suitable for use in oxygen deficient atmospheres, confined spaces or atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). Only SCBA's or Combination SCBA/airline can be used in an IDLH environment.
GAS
VAPOUR A substance that is created when a solid or liquid material evaporates, at room temperature e.g. solvents and gasoline
AIR SUPPLIED RESPIRATORS Respirators that provide the user with clean air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere, either via a compressor through a filtering system or stored as high-pressure air in cylinders. These types of respirators include: airline respirators; Emergency Escape Breathing Apparatus, and Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
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