![]() Glasses and half face respirators, for example, may compete for space on the same part of the face - the bridge of the nose - so it’s vital to find equipment that fits together without causing either leakage around the respirator edges or loss of eye protection.Ĭomfort and ability to do the job are also important considerations if the work is particularly strenuous, try to select respirators that are as lightweight and streamlined as possible. For example, half-mask respirators with cartridges and filters have an APF of 10.īesides choosing equipment appropriate for your workplace’s types and levels of hazards, you must also consider compatibility with other required protective equipment, such as safety glasses and hard hats. AS/NZS 1715 lists APFs for different types of respirators. Once you know your required APF, you can narrow down your choices to those respirators that can reduce exposure to below the WES. Refer to your local APF information to help select correct respirator/respiratory combination. (This is called the “hazard ratio.”) For instance:Ĭontaminant exposure level: 500 ppm ÷ WES (of that exposure contaminant): 50 ppm = APF: 10 To see what level of APF your workplace needs, divide your exposure levels by the exposure limit. For instance, an APF of 10 means the respirator can protect against exposure levels that are up to 10 times the WES for that hazard. The APF is the workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection program as specified by AS/NZS 1715. AS/NZS 1716 tested respirators have an assigned protection factor (APF), which can range from 10 to 100+. Where a specific respiratory recommendation is not available from Australian or New Zealand authorities, the use of respiratory protective equipment may be drawn from recognised international authorities or standardisation bodies such National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Where there is a existing respirator which meets the requirements of AS/NZS 1716 this should be used in the workplace. Step Three: Determine level of protection needed. If putting those controls into place is not feasible, choose respiratory protection that help bring exposures down to an acceptable level for workers. If your levels are above the limit, look to reduce exposures through engineering, or administrative controls. If your employee exposure levels are below the WES, then respirators aren’t legally required, though you may still want to offer respirators for voluntary use. Measurements may also be in the form of 15-minute short-term exposure limits (STEL) or a ceiling limit (C), which is the absolute limit that should never be exceeded at any time by a worker. For instance, both could be expressed in ppm for an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). In any event, make sure both your measured concentrations and the levels to which you are comparing them (such as the WES) use the same units of measure. You can often use values set by other groups, such as the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) – if those values are lower than the WES. The results are typically measured in parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m3), commonly averaged over an eight-hour work shift.Ĭompare your exposure levels to the workplace exposure standard (WES) set by Worksafe New Zealand, to determine if action is required. ![]() 3M recommends replacing both pancake and cartridge filters within six months of opening their packages (PDF), or, in environments where oil aerosols are present, after only 40 hours of total use or 30 days after the first use, whichever comes first.The exposure assessment should yield employee exposure levels for the substances you tested for. The cartridges are more expensive and weigh far more-8.6 ounces per pair on our scale-but they’re also sturdier, and they might be the better choice if you’ll be doing strenuous physical work, such as a kitchen demolition, while wearing your respirator. The pancake filters weigh just half an ounce per pair, and they’re our first recommendation for typical use outdoors and around the home. NIOSH approval means that, at the equivalent rating (P100 in this case), pancake-style filters, such as the 3M 2097 filter we recommend, protect you just as effectively as hard-plastic cartridge filters like the 3M 60926. And as P-designated filters, they also protect against oil-based substances in the air, such as paint fumes, as well as some caustic vapors. ![]() The “100” designation indicates that they capture 99.97% of fine particulates, such as wildfire smoke. ![]() P100-rated filters are the most widely available kind that meet that criterion.
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