Get Familiar with Respirator Types
The first respirator has been traced back to the first century when Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) described the use of animal bladder skins to protect roman miners from red lead oxide dust. Needless to say we’ve come a long way in terms of respirator technology but the goal remains the same: prevent harmful particles from being inhaled. Respirators today come in a variety of forms.
Nowadays, there are 4 popular kinds of respirators separated by how they work: mechanical filter respirators, chemical cartridge respirators, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) and self-contained breathing apparatuses(SCBA).
Chemical Cartridge Respirators: These class of respirators use a cartridge which acts as a gateway to what one is breathing. The chemicals located in it filter the air you take in and trap the harmful particulates and gases. Some units have chemicals that react with the harmful gasses being passed through the filter to neutralize it. The cartridge itself needs to be replaced on a regular basis to prevent restriction of airflow.
Mechanical filter respirators: Similar to the previous respirator, some of these units use cartridges in filtering the air as well. However, this does not use chemicals. Instead, it uses progressively smaller materials in the cartridge that traps incoming particulates. While this is mechanically the simplest and perhaps the oldest of the more modern designs, it does carry with it a few limitations. The filters themselves cannot be cleaned and must be replaced. In addition, mechanical filters have a limit as to what size of particles they can filter.
PAPR: Powered air-purifying respirators takes air that is contaminated, removes the contaminants and then delivers the air to the user. These units work with a fan and a filter, with the fan pumping in air through the filters. These types of respirators require careful matching of the filters being used with the particulates in the air. In return, it provides the best safety, comfort, and breathability short of a controlled sealed system such as the SCBA (more on that in a bit). These types of respirators can be either carried by the user or have the fans and filters remotely mounted with tubing to tether the person to the unit.
SCBA: Self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) provide the best protection one can provide. Essentially, the system consists of a facemask and a tank filled with clean air. After all, why risk filtering the dirty air when you can carry some clean air with you? Of course, it does have its disadvantages as well. Running out of air from the tank is a common problem, as well as portability.
All the types of respirators have their specific uses. It is up to you to pick the right one for your facility since only you know what particulates you need to protect your employees from. That said, keep safe and keep coming back to Emedco for more safety articles and updates
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Editor’s Note: What is the best respirator for your facility and why? Post your response down in the comments section and help out other readers who may have the same kind of work environment as yours.