Respiratory Protection Safety

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory hazards in the workplace should be controlled whenever possible using engineering, work practice, or administrative controls. However, if these controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employees may need to utilize respiratory protection.

Respiratory Hazards

  • Harmful dusts (lead, silica, and other heavy metals)
  • Fumes and smokes (welding fume)
  • Gases and vapors (chemical exposures)
  • Oxygen deficiency (oxidation, displacement, and consumption)
  • Biological hazards (tuberculosis, whooping cough, flu viruses)

Respirator Types

  • Air-Purifying Respirators (APR) clean the air you breathe using filters, cartridges, or canisters
    • APRs include half face, full face, N95, and PAPR respirators.
  • Atmosphere Supplying Respirators supply the user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere. Supplied Air Respirators (SAR) and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) are examples of atmosphere supplying respirators.

STOP DANGER / STOP DEFECTS

*Tool Box Talk based on GC submitted by Charles Dekker – Paulsboro Refinery