Protecting Yourself

1
Level C

• Limited level of respiratory and skin protection
  from airborne hazards
• Full-face canister respirator (APR)
• Chemical-protective clothing with hood
• Inner and outer gloves
• Chemical-resistant shoes
• Optional items like hard hat, boot and glove
  covers, and possibly a five-minute escape pack

2
Level D

• No respiratory and limited skin protection
• Disposable coveralls
• Safety shoes
• Safety glasses or goggles
• Hard hat
• Gloves
• Optional five-minute escape pack for emergency
  egress

3
Limitations of PPE

• Impairs mobility, vision, and communication
• Incompatible with other PPE
• Problems with mask fit (facial hair, dentures,
  glasses, caps, 10 body weight change)
• Heat stress
• Can cause physical and psychological stress
• Hinders work performance and active work time

4
Respiratory Protection

• Atmospheric hazards
• Gases/Vapors
• Particulates
• Oxygen deficiency

5
Mask Fit Tests

• Quantitative
• Pass/fail pressure test using test agent
• Qualitative
• Smoke test

6
Types of Respirators

• Air-purifying respirators (APR/PAPR)
• Continuous flow respirators
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators (SAR)

7
Air-Purifying Respirators

• Utilize purified ambient air through a
  filtering element or absorbent cartridge
• Negative pressure respirators

8
Air-Purifying Respirators

• Limitations
• Atmosphere that is Immediately Dangerous to Life
  and Health (IDLH)
• Entry into area or confined space where exposure
  conditions have not been characterized
• Inadequate warning properties of identified gases
  or vapors
• Unknown service life of sorbent materials in
  respirator cartridges
• High relative humidity

9
Air-Purifying Respirators

• Disadvantages
• Limited duration of protection
• Limited protection
• Constant monitoring
• Detectable hazards only
• Characteristics
• Chemical cartridges
• Mechanical filters

10
Air-Supplying Respirators

• Air-line with escape SCBA
• Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
• Limitations
• The maximum MSHA/NIOSH approved hose length is
  300 feet
• Mobility impairment
• The air lines are vulnerable to damage,
  contamination, or degradation
• The worker needs to retrace steps when leaving
  the work area
• Someone needs to supervise and monitor the air
  supply

11
Continuous Flow Respirators

• Powered-air purifying respirator (PAPR)
• Continuous flow of filtered air to the facepiece

12
Air-Purifying Respirators
Warning properties are essential to safe use of
air-purifying respirators since they allow
detection of contaminant breakthrough should it
occur
13
Air-Purifying Respirators
RESPIRATOR CARTRIDGES/FILTERS COLOR
APPROVED FOR Black Organic Vapors Yellow
Organic Vapors and Acid Gases White Acid
Gases Green Ammonia and Methylamine Purple
HEPA, Dusts, Fumes and Mists Orange stripe
for Dusts, Fumes and Mists in
combination with vapor or gas
14
Air-Purifying Respirators
APF Respirator 10 Half-facepiece Respirator
with Vapor Cartridge or Filter 50
Full-facepiece Respirator with Vapor
Cartridge or Filter 1,000 Full-facepiece
Supplied Air Respirator operated in Pressure
- demand mode. 1,000 to Full-facepiece
Self-contained 10,000 breathing apparatus
operated in Pressure demand mode
15
Decontamination

• Purpose
• To protect workers from contaminants
• Removes or neutralizes contaminants that have
  accumulated on personnel and equipment
• Protective clothing
• Respiratory protection equipment
• Tools and instruments
• Vehicles
• Other fixed facility equipment

16
Decontamination

• Types of Contamination
• Surface- Remains on the surface
• Permeated- Go into or through

17
Decontamination

• Rate of Permeation Factors
• Contact time
• Concentration
• Temperature
• Contaminant Molecule Size
• Physical State of Contamination

18
Decontamination Methods

• Physical removal
• Chemical removal
• Combination methods

19
Equipment Decontamination

• Degree of contamination
• Non-cleanable parts
• Discarded

20
Equipment Decontamination

• Hand tools
• Tables, shelves and pallets
• Large equipment