Respirator Protection Flashcards
Respirator Protection
- Half face
- Full face
- Dust
- Supplied Air
- SCBA
APR - air purifying respirator
Glossary
A
absorption
The act of taking in something through small spaces or pores.
adsorption
The accumulation of gases and liquids on the surface of a solid or liquid.
APF
Abbreviation for assigned protection factor, the expected workplace level of respiratoryprotection that would be provided by a properly functioning respirator to a properly fitted andtrained user. For example, the APF value for a half-mask air-purifying respirator is 10, whilethe APF value for a
PAPR
(P, R, N, 95, cartridge and combination) is 25.
assigned protection factor
See
APF
.
B
breakthrough
The penetration of challenge material(s) through a gas or a vapor air-purifying A
absorption
The act of taking in something through small spaces or pores.
adsorption
The accumulation of gases and liquids on the surface of a solid or liquid.
APF
Abbreviation for assigned protection factor, the expected workplace level of respiratoryprotection that would be provided by a properly functioning respirator to a properly fitted andtrained user. For example, the APF value for a half-mask air-purifying respirator is 10, whilethe APF value for a
PAPR
(P, R, N, 95, cartridge and combination) is 25.
assigned protection factor
See
APF
.
B
breakthrough
The penetration of challenge material(s) through a gas or a vapor air-purifying element. Thequantity or extent of breakthrough during service-life testing is often referred to as thepercentage of the input concentration.
C
canister or cartridge
A container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or combination of these items, which removesspecific contaminants from the air passed through the container.
D
degradation
A decline to a lower condition, quality, or level.
diffusion
The act of becoming widely dispersed; spread out.
dust
A fine particulate of matter.
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F
filtering facepiece
Refers to a single-use, disposable respirator.
fit test
The use of a challenge agent to determine the fit of a respirator to an individual.
fume
Airborne particulates formed by the condensation from a gaseous state, generally afterevaporation from melted substances, such as in welding, and often accompanied by achemical reaction, such as oxidation.
G
gas
A state of matter that has neither an independent shape nor a volume but tends to expandindefinitely.
Grade D breathing air
Air that meets or exceeds the requirements of ANSI/Compressed Gas Association CommoditySpecification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to include: oxygen content of 19.5-23.5%; hydrocarboncontent of 5mg/m3 of air or less; CO of 10 ppm or less, and CO2 of 1000ppm or less; and lackof noticeable odor.
H
hantavirus
An airborne virus that infects the human respiratory system and causes the lungs tomalfunction. The virus is spread by rodents who shed the virus in their urine, droppings, andsaliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated withthe virus.
I
IDLH
Abbreviation for immediately dangerous to life or health, an atmosphere that poses animmediate threat to life, would cause irreversible adverse health effects, or would impair anindividual’s ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere.
immediately dangerous to life or health
See
IDLH
.
M
maximum use concentration
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See
MUC
mist
A suspension of a finely divided liquid in the atmosphere; a fine spray.
MUC
Abbreviation for maximum use concentration. This is the maximum atmospheric concentrationof a hazardous substance from which an employee can be expected to be protected whenwearing a respirator and is determined by the assigned protection factor of the respirator orclass of respirators and the exposure limit of the hazardous substance.
N
negative-pressure respirator
A respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation withrespect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.
O
oxygen-deficient atmosphere
An atmosphere with oxygen content below 19.5% by volume.
oxygen-enriched atmosphere
An atmosphere with oxygen content above 23.5% by volume.
P
PAPR
Abbreviation for powered air-purifying respirator.
PEL
Abbreviation for permissible exposure limit. An exposure limit established by OSHA to indicatethe maximum airborne concentration of a contaminant to which an employee may be exposedover a specified duration of time.
permissible exposure limit
See
PEL
.
physiological effects
The effect of the hazardous agent/material on the body’s normal functions, such as breathing,heart rate, etc.
positive-pressure respirator
A respirator in which the pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering exceeds the ambient airpressure outside the respirator.
powered air-purifying respirator
An air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifyingelements to the inlet covering.
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Q
qualitative fit-test
A pass/fail fit test to assess the adequacy of respirator fit that relies on the individual’sresponse to the test agent.
quantitative fit-test
An assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount ofleakage into the respirator.
S
SCBA
Abbreviation for self-contained breathing apparatus. An atmosphere-supplying respirator forwhich the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user.
sedimentation
Settling of particles by gravity.
self-contained breathing apparatus
See
SCBA
.
T
time-weighted average
See
TWA
.
TWA
Abbreviation for time-weighted average, exposure concentrations of toxic materials, usuallyairborne contaminants, which have been weighted for a certain time duration, usually eighthours.
V
vapor
The gaseous phase of matter that normally exists in a liquid or solid state at roomtemperature. Vapors can be changed back toelement. Thequantity or extent of breakthrough during service-life testing is often referred to as thepercentage of the input concentration.
C
canister or cartridge
A container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or combination of these items, which removesspecific contaminants from the air passed through the container.
D
degradation
A decline to a lower condition, quality, or level.
diffusion
The act of becoming widely dispersed; spread out.
dust
A fine particulate of matter.
9/1/23, 2:52 PM Skillsoft Glossary
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F
filtering facepiece
Refers to a single-use, disposable respirator.
fit test
The use of a challenge agent to determine the fit of a respirator to an individual.
fume
Airborne particulates formed by the condensation from a gaseous state, generally afterevaporation from melted substances, such as in welding, and often accompanied by achemical reaction, such as oxidation.
G
gas
A state of matter that has neither an independent shape nor a volume but tends to expandindefinitely.
Grade D breathing air
Air that meets or exceeds the requirements of ANSI/Compressed Gas Association CommoditySpecification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to include: oxygen content of 19.5-23.5%; hydrocarboncontent of 5mg/m3 of air or less; CO of 10 ppm or less, and CO2 of 1000ppm or less; and lackof noticeable odor.
H
hantavirus
An airborne virus that infects the human respiratory system and causes the lungs tomalfunction. The virus is spread by rodents who shed the virus in their urine, droppings, andsaliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated withthe virus.
I
IDLH
Abbreviation for immediately dangerous to life or health, an atmosphere that poses animmediate threat to life, would cause irreversible adverse health effects, or would impair anindividual’s ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere.
immediately dangerous to life or health
See
IDLH
.
M
maximum use concentration
9/1/23, 2:52 PM Skillsoft Glossary
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See
MUC
mist
A suspension of a finely divided liquid in the atmosphere; a fine spray.
MUC
Abbreviation for maximum use concentration. This is the maximum atmospheric concentrationof a hazardous substance from which an employee can be expected to be protected whenwearing a respirator and is determined by the assigned protection factor of the respirator orclass of respirators and the exposure limit of the hazardous substance.
N
negative-pressure respirator
A respirator in which the air pressure inside the facepiece is negative during inhalation withrespect to the ambient air pressure outside the respirator.
O
oxygen-deficient atmosphere
An atmosphere with oxygen content below 19.5% by volume.
oxygen-enriched atmosphere
An atmosphere with oxygen content above 23.5% by volume.
P
PAPR
Abbreviation for powered air-purifying respirator.
PEL
Abbreviation for permissible exposure limit. An exposure limit established by OSHA to indicatethe maximum airborne concentration of a contaminant to which an employee may be exposedover a specified duration of time.
permissible exposure limit
See
PEL
.
physiological effects
The effect of the hazardous agent/material on the body’s normal functions, such as breathing,heart rate, etc.
positive-pressure respirator
A respirator in which the pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering exceeds the ambient airpressure outside the respirator.
powered air-purifying respirator
An air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force the ambient air through air-purifyingelements to the inlet covering.
9/1/23, 2:52 PM Skillsoft Glossary
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Q
qualitative fit-test
A pass/fail fit test to assess the adequacy of respirator fit that relies on the individual’sresponse to the test agent.
quantitative fit-test
An assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount ofleakage into the respirator.
S
SCBA
Abbreviation for self-contained breathing apparatus. An atmosphere-supplying respirator forwhich the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user.
sedimentation
Settling of particles by gravity.
self-contained breathing apparatus
See
SCBA
.
T
time-weighted average
See
TWA
.
TWA
Abbreviation for time-weighted average, exposure concentrations of toxic materials, usuallyairborne contaminants, which have been weighted for a certain time duration, usually eighthours.
V
vapor
The gaseous phase of matter that normally exists in a liquid or solid state at roomtemperature. Vapors can be changed back to
Respirator Hazards
The toxicity of a contaminant, its physical and chemical properties, itsoccupational exposure limits, and the actual concentrations in the workplace all need to be determined
There are several potential respiratory hazards that can be found in many workplaces. These include: particulates, such as dusts, mists, or fumes – for example fly ash, coal dust, nuisance dust, welding fumes, and oil mists. Look out for fibers like asbestos, fiberglass, gasket materials, and insulation forsteam pipes.
Biological hazards, such as airborne diseases like the hantavirus and tuberculosis, andfunguses like mold and mildew are other hazards you need to consider. And then there are gases, likenitrogen, carbon monoxide, and chlorine, and vapors from liquids such as gasoline, solvents, paint, paintthinners, or glues.
IDLH
Respiratory hazards in your workplace may create an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to lifeor health, or IDLH. These are environmental conditions that may cause death or irreversible adversehealth effects. Examples include atmospheres that are oxygen deficient or that contain high levels o ftoxic materials, such as hydrogen sulfide or carbon monoxide
Four main ways that harmful contaminants may enter the body
- Ingestion occurs whensomething is swallowed and ends up in the stomach.
- Absorption occurs when chemicals contact andenter the body through the skin
- injection occurs when chemicals penetrate the body through awound, cut, or puncture of the skin.
- Inhalation takes chemicals into the nose or mouth, down the windpipe, and into the lungs. Because many hazardous chemicals can be airborne as vapors, mists, dust, or fumes, inhalation is the most common method of exposure
Hazard Category
Liquids such as gasoline, solvents, paint, paint thinners, or glues can produceharmful vapors.
Particulate hazards include dusts, mists, and fumes. For example, welding fumesare a particulate hazard, as is the dust created by asbestos used in things like gasket materials and steam pipe insulation.
**Hazardous gases **include carbon monoxide and chlorine.
Biological hazards include airborne diseases such as the hantavirus andtuberculosis.
Two general types of respirators
air-purifying respirator, which uses a filtermechanism to remove contaminants before the air reaches the user’s nose and mouth
—— particulate respirator hazards such as silica, coal dust, fly ash, andfugitive dusts
——chemical cart ridgerespirators” or “gas masks - remove a specific gas or vapor contaminant via absorption oradsorption with a material such as activated carbon
don’t provide oxygen and shouldn’t be used in oxygen-deficient atmospheres
full or half facepieces, or helmets and hoods.
**Air-purifying respirators do have some limitations. **They can’t be used in atmospheres that areimmediately dangerous to life or health, or IDLH, including atmospheres that are oxygen deficient. Theycan have a limited duration of protection, due primarily to cartridges becoming saturated and having a limited service life. They also require monitoring of contaminant levels to determine Maximum UseConcentrations based on Assigned Protection Factor of the respirator
air-supplying respirator, it supplies clean air to the nose and mouth either from a tank worn by the user or through a breathing air supply line
—-Positive-pressure respirators maintain a positive pressure inside the facepiece during both inhalationand exhalation, while negative-pressure respirators – also known as demand mode – draw air into thefacepiece by way of the negative pressure created by the user’s inhalation
—-Negative-pressurerespirators are less protective, because contaminants can be drawn into the facepiece during inhalationthrough a poorly fitted facepiece.
—-self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, is a device that provides the highest available level ofprotection against airborne contaminants and oxygen deficiency. If the atmosphere is IDLH, or is likely tobecome IDLH, the SCBA may be used
Classification uses
Letter
N” means notresistant to oil;
R” means somewhat resistant to oil
P” means strongly resistant to oil, or oil-proof
Number
Filters that remove at least 95% of these particlesare given a 95 rating
Filter out at least 99% receive a 99 rating
Filter out atleast 99.97% – essentially 100% – receive a 100 rating
Ex: N95 - filter is not resistant to oil and removes at least 95% of the most-penetrating particles
Donning and Doffing
- inspect the respirator, loosen the straps, and place the straps over the front of the respirator
- Position the respirator snugly against your face, with your chin in first, place the straps in position
- Tighten the straps while holding the respirator against your face
- *Positive pressure test, *cover the exhalation valve with your palm and exhale gently into thefacepiece. The fit is considered satisfactory if a slight positive pressure is built up with no apparentoutward leakage around the seal.
- Negative pressure test, cover the cartridge inlets with your palms, inhale gently, and holdyour breath for ten seconds. The fit is considered satisfactory if the facepiece remains slightly collapsedwith no apparent inward leakage around the seal.
