Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) safeguards against harmful dusts, fumes and vapours. It is a key component in a safety risk management system and must be considered when determining the appropriate work activities to be undertaken.

Before resorting to using respiratory protective equipment, try to reduce the hazard as much as possible by taking other preventative measures such as improving ventilation. This will help to keep the level of contaminants low and will also help you avoid any discomfort.

If it is unavoidable to use RPE, then make sure you select the correct type and fit. RPE can vary in size and shape and it is important to have the wearer involved in this selection, particularly as factors such as facial hair, scarring or face shape can affect how well the mask seals. It is also important to consider the task at hand as the level of protection required will depend on the working conditions.

Respiratory Protective Equipment: Types, Uses, and Benefits

The main groups of RPE are tight-fitting face pieces (often referred to as masks) with or without filter and breathing apparatus (powered). Tight-fitting devices include filtering face pieces which may be disposable or reusable. These should conform to the EN 149:2001 standard and are labelled FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3 in order of increasing filtration efficiency. There are also valved filtering half masks for gas or vapor and particulate which are either fully or partially reusable and should have both an inhalation and exhalation valve.

Breathing apparatus is a powered device that provides purified air to the wearer via a breathing hose from an independent source. Examples include a self-contained breathing apparatus like those used by fire fighters, which has one air tank stored on the user’s back for mobility and a chemical cartridge respirator with full mask or closeable hood. The employer shall describe in their RPE programme the objective information or data on which they will rely to set a change schedule for canisters and cartridges to ensure they are changed before their end-of-service life indicator (ESLI) is reached.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *