Air Purifying Respirators, Powered Air Purifying Respirators, and Personal Protective Equipment

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Air Purifying Respirators, Powered Air Purifying
Respirators, and Personal Protective Equipment

• Seven Mountains EMS Council

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Objectives

• -Determine whether the available PPE and
  respiratory protective equipment is appropriate
  for the hazards that have been identified and the
  tasks that are being assigned 
• -Don, work in, and doff personal protective
  equipment

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PPE

• The Personal Protective Equipment that you select
  should be based on the activities that you will
  be expected to participate in at the scene of a
  hazardous materials incident and the physical and
  chemical hazards present
• REMEMBER TOG (fire fighting or rescue) and jump
  suites are NOT recommended for many chemical
  spills

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PPE

• First responders trained to the operational level
  are permitted to perform defensive actions only,
  however those activities may require the use of
  PPE such as Chemical Protective Clothing (CPC).

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PPE

• In addition to skin protection it may be
  necessary for you as a responder to wear
  self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA),
  supplied air respirators (SAR), air purifying
  respirators (APR), or powered air purifying
  respirators (PAPR).

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PPE

• Levels of protection (NFPA 473 EPA)
• Are based on Respiratory and Skin Protection
  Combined
• Level D no protection
• Level C limited skin and limited respiratory
• Level B limited skin and high respiratory
• Level A high skin and high respiratory

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Common Sense

• Other forms of PPE recommended but not always
  required are
• Body Protection (chemical protective clothing)
• Head protection
• Eye protection
• Hearing Protection
• All safety items should meet OSHA ANSI standards

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Respiratory Protection

• Many hazardous situations require respiratory
  protection.
• Hazards include
• - dust
• - mist
• vapors
• particles
• - toxic gasses and
• - oxygen deficient / enriched atmospheres

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Respiratory Protection

• Selection of respiratory protection should be
  based on the
• The chemical hazards present
• The work being performed
• The ability, training, and experience of the
  responder

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Respiratory Protection

• Dust/HEPA Masks- Dust and mold particles,
  biological agents

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Respiratory protection

• Air Purifying Respirators (APRs) - Specific
  types of vapors

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Respiratory protection

• Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) -
  Specific types of vapors, provides a Positive
  pressure environment inside the wearers mask.

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Respiratory protection

• Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) - Same as SCBA -
  Limited to 300 from air source

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Respiratory protection

• SCBA - highest level of protection

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Limitations of the PAPRs

• Need to know the identity of the contaminant
• Need to understand the chemical and physical
  properties of the contaminant
• Need to quantify the environment that you are in,
  especially OXYGEN
• O2 concentrations (19.5 gt O2 lt 23.5)

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Limitations of the PAPRs

• Defined usage times (Battery powered fans)
• Replacement Canisters
• Dependant on use, environment, and contaminants
• Compatibility with other forms of Personal
  Protective Equipment
• FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY!

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Level of Protection

• PAPRs provide limited protection from
  contaminants
• Assigned protection factor (APF) 25
• Up to 1000 providing evidence of manufacturer
  testing, documented proof, and extended user
  training and testing.

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Regulatory Requirements

• Documented Respiratory Protection Program, in
  accordance with the Respiratory Protection
  Standard of OSHA (29 CFR 1910.134)
• NO FIT TESTING for the PAPRs
• Individual user training
• Inspection / testing, cleaning, and maintenance
  schedules
• Guidelines for use
• Limitations of use

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Questions, Comments, Concerns

• Time to Don and Doff the PAPR