Document jNgOMjjVqmkBoB284MqBYjQ6Z

RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES MANUAL . PUBLISHED BY AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF GOVERNMENTAL INDUSTRIAL HYGIENISTS 1963 i \ >. Copyri":, ;S83 Aesrieaa t.cusiriai Hyyi.-. Association Aacricas Cos:arcr.e ei tecustrial Hyfisnists Cc>;as AviCiiae ito=: 3RAUX AJO 3?.rx*nSiD, Inc. Six 12:2 Am* aka1Ctaip. .-rice: S3. JO *>>-; Rjsr.rntory protective device* arc perhaps fee oldest method oi controlling occupational diseases; however, health and sale:y personnel are generally less indorsed about the applications and limitations of these devices man about any other particular central device. Many books and technical reports have beta written on engineering control measures, but it should be noted that no teat exists covering compre hensively the field of respirator}' proactive devices. Because oi the limited published technical data is this field, the committee has draws heavily'upon the experience a: respirator manufacturers, representatives from the U.S. Bureau o! Mines, and infer- cation made available by the American Standards Association. Throughout the preparatiooof the manual, close cooperation of all these agencies was achieved. ' The manual primarily Involves commercial devices; hence, there are specific technical details that cannot be discussed. Obviously, the respirator manufacturers are reluctant to jeopardize their develop ment investment x-.d passible patent rights by disclosing information until such rights are protected. Research and development laboratories are reluctant to give Interim progress reports, prefsrring to make the completed research available in the form of a technical report or of a product. Government classification may also make it necessary to withhold some of fee developments. This bosk has oeer. prepared primarily to provide the industrial hygienist and other health and safety specialism wife technical information pertaining to the principles of operation of the various types of respiratory protective devices and their selection, use, and maintenance. Safety and supervisory per sonnel will find many of fee chapters especially useful. This committee will gratefully receive comments and suggestions for future consideration. The manual will be revised as needed to present new practices and developments. Edwin C. Hyatt, Chairman Join: AIHA-ACGIK Respiratory Protective Devices Committee s . * Y#**W i V7 Vr;b%4 AND 4 /** Maintenance is -r. :r.:;3ortar.t phase o' any car.- ..-ol procvuuro, and this is as true fcr rcsyirmer* a.- :; ; :or ventilation equipment. No matter .tow wvil a rc-p.ra:or 1* designed or how good it* ver iermaacc. it eaur.c: give satisfactory protection unless it is maintained in good cane-.ticn. This, co of oho most impormnt factor* or. hoc us* cf these device*. is yc: -* most frequently neglected, particularly with nouemcrgency respirator* is which e.: result* o' such are so: so readily evibena Is addition :o provisos; adequate "rctecr.cn, proper oscroior. oc Cn. SiCiSoeo of aspirator* is ss* hss s definite economic rales. Well---ointoor.ed equipment last* larger asd re quire* less Irenes: replacement. The operations cl a maintenance program-- frequent asd periodic isspeotioss, cleanis;, re placing or repairing worn or deteriorated past, asd store;*--should be centralized wherever pos sible. They should also be supervised carefully by a responsible asd capable person, because proper care asd sair.tesar.ee require a thorough knowl edge ci the device. is; cases lor cscr;cacy devices are designed to protect facepieces but the device scst be properly placed to prevent Crispin; or pinching The stor age place should be cool asd dry, because hi;h tesperatures shorten the useiul life oi rubber parts. eli-eor.sir.ed breaking apparatus, either cesand- or recirculating-type, sust be inspected scnthly. The air or oxygen cylinder sust he hdly charted to 1,0S0 pounds per square inch (1,800 psi plus 10 per cent a: 70F, ss allowed by the Inter state Cosnerce Cosmission), and the repuiatar sust function properly. No attempt should be made to repair or adjust either the reducin; or admis sion valve sechaniss or the safety valve oi the regulator. If the regulator is not operatingproperly, it should be returned to the manufacturer for adjustment or repair. It is extremely dan;erous for anyone other than a hi;kly sained mechanic, who thoroughly understands the ccr.ssuctloa, op eration, and adjustment of a regulator to aaempt to repair or adjust the regulator. H. CLEANING L INSPECTION # All routinely used respirators should be in Routinely used respirators also should be cleaned after each use, and they should be collected spected frequently. at a central point at the end of each shift for cleaa- Emergency respirators should be inspected at least every S3 days because, thou;h they may stand unused for a considerable time, they must he a--ilahl* in first-class condition a: a moment's tice. The tightness of connections should be ingand inspection. Each person's respirator should bear some sort of identification, such as his in itials or employment number. When a worker recevies a respirator, he should be briefed on the cleaning procedure and assured that he will always ...coked. as well as the condition of the facepiece, r.cadiar.cs, exhalation and inhalation valves, connectin; tube, ar.d canister. The rubber pans of emergency equipment should receive particular get the same device. If the respirators are serv iced between shifts, only one respirator per work man is needed. If the cleaning, is done during a work shift, each worker requires two respirators. utter.:;--, to assure that they show no signs of de terioration. Unused rubber pans should be kept pliable and flexible, and prevented frsm takin; a sc: durin; periods of disuse by working, stretch When r.ot in use (for example, during the lunch period), the respirators should be stored in clean cabinets at convenient locations in the work area. It is generally accepted that washing with a ing, and manipulating with amassa;ir.; action durir.; the inspection. - the sides of me exhalation valve ;ap ever, slightly, a new valve should re place tr.e old. Emergency device* should be tlear.ed niter good detergent In warm water, by hand brushing or agitation in swashing machine, is a sound basic cleaning procedure. According to Drinker ar.d Hatch,1 "there is r.o reason to require special sterilizing .... Scrubbing with warm water and earn use. .-atcr tr.e cevice is dry, 2r.cic,,n, carapcunn snnu.c ue p*acoc --n me o. mc lens. Damaged lenses tn some mass* can be re placed by maintenance personnel, waereas others m.s: -w reputed oy tr.e manotaciurcr. site carry- soap, rinsing, and air drying in a clean place is entirely adequate.* There are a number of procedures currently ir. use for cleaning respirators. When a respira tor is used by only one individual, a practical 127 9. . A:r ary the is - , 5. Inspect the valve.., parts: repinew with new part* i:. 6. Insert now filters or car:r:e,....; tnahe sure the seal is ugh:. 7. Place tr. a plastic bag for :cr;ro. "or cor.:.;,etc decontamination phos phite pesticides on respirator*. following washing w.:h alkaline soap, i: should bo rinsed with 53" alcohol icthyi cr iso propyl). Several respirator manufacturer. currently sell a cleaner sanitizer, that effectively cleans sir.e respirawr and contains a bactorcidal agent. Tr.i* baetoreidal agent U generally a quaternary ass* COSJpOUJidL Oso ocmbinaUan deterge: aad quarternary ammonia sal: recommends immersing the respirator ir. the solutisa, riasiag ia cieoa, wars: ii20cF, water, ar.b a:r drying. When saa same respirators arc cue by dif ferent individuals, a food public health policy U so disinfect shea: before shay ara re-issued. Tha literature2*5 lists a rariety of chemical* and method* iar disinfecting respirator*. A number of shi precedarea ara unsatisfactory. For example, formaldehyde aas only is a poor disinfeemm, bat is is ahsarbad ca tha robber aad may cause derma titis. Soaking a respirator ia a 70 par cent sole* tica cf esfcyl alcohol for 1 hr say ba partially ef fective. Live staass or very hot vase? (i70oF), organic solraass, aad slsrarialas light should sot be used because ci their injurious effects, par ticularly oa she rubber parts. The eos-.pcur.ds generally considered so be the asoss reliable for disinfecting respirators are: (1; a hypochlorite solution (50 parts per million tppm) of chlorine; immersion time, 2 min), cr (2i an alcoholic solution of ledire (50 ppm iodine; 2 atia immersion). A concentration of 213 ppss of qa-semary ammonia compounds is water with less than 5C3 ppm total hardness is generally an effec tive disinfecting solution. The disadvantages of the quaternary ammonia ccsspour.ds are: ;1. different caact-atratisns of salts are required to achieve a disinfecting sciatica with waters of varying com- passtiaa, ana ;21 the possibility c: derma::::* if the quarternary ammonia salts ara nat `` rinses front she respirator. If cleaning ar.d inspection reveal parts v.hich should be rcplacwd cr repaired, this should be done only by experienced personnel -..-.th tarts specifically designed for she particular device. Filters or chemical cartridges also c_n be re placed a: this time. '.Vhcthcr such rep. eac.t use cr m ..v.r aw pane upon ate ccha:::ans un- ;a- dwvtce ts usec cr.d upon pas: experi- ,whcr_i. ..' da* condition.. ata no: rula- tivuly ccnstar.: and well-known, rcp-acc-mcm after euc.; use is reuentntended, particularly for car tridges and canisters usmg sorbents. in. STORAGE After cleaning, inspection, ar.d necessary re pair, the equipment should be stereo properly, ir. essentially dustprocf containers, away front sun light, heat (no: near radiators or steam pipes), extreme cold, and excessive moisture, Most de vices come in cartons or cases which are suitable for storage; however. If devices are placed at sta tions aad work areas for emergency use, special compartments may be accessary tc protect the de vices even in their original containers. Routinely used devices, such as dust respirators, may be pi&ced in plastic bags. The devices should never be stored in such places as clothes lockers cr tool boxes unless they are ia their carrying cases or Respirators should be packed or stored so that the rubber facepiece and exhalation valve will rest in a normal position aad function will not be impaired by the rubber setting la a bent or twisted Instructions for the proper storage of emer gency devices, such as universal gas masks and self-contained breathingapparatus, are on the* in structions for use and care* bulletin mounted on the inside of their carrying case lid. 1. Drinker, P. and Hatch, T.: Industrial Dust, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1954, 401 pp. 2. Industrial Safety Equipment Association, Inc.: Care and Maintenance of Safety Equipment. Safety Maintenance, 115:14-16, SO, Apr. 1556. 3. National Safety Council: Respiratory Protective Equipment, Data Sheet D-444, National Safety Council, 425 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 11, El., 1957. 4. American Standards Association: American Standard Safety Coda for Head, Eye, and Res piratory Protection, Z2.1-1S5S, American Standards Assoc., 10 East 40 Sa, New York 15, N.Y. 5. Michigan Dcparur.cn: of Health: Respirators-- Selection, Use and Care, Occup. Health Ball., 4:1-6, Winter 1956. N atWWkk 4 WN A v.'-- important. but often neglected, phase ct rvj>jjii'hw"-' proiit*Ct*WH s sctf^ii*o training c. these was are expected :c use such protection. It is r cumma.-. misconception that training is needed ff*" <cr *mO iva*Cwr,a<riCd srtf5ihl*|i 2^3"^"--* Trainir.u is necessary tor supervisors. such ns foremen who are to supervise the cm a: any type d respiratory protective device, as veil as tor thosewho ore :o -'em- it, ifadevice ii ! used `atolligently, confidently, and safely. Obviously, a* mure complicated the apparatus or the more hanarduus the atmosphere ia which i: is to he used. the more extensive ar.d intensive the training mast bs. Such training should he given by a quali fied person, such as nr. industrial hygienist, a safety engineer, or respirator manufacturer's representative. Training ia the use ot any respirator should cover the following 1. Discussion of the airborne contaminants against which the wearer Is to be protected, in cluding information on their physical properties, possible concentrations or chances thereof, mode of physiological actios, toxicity, and means of de tection. 2. Discussion of the reasons for using dm respiratcr. 3. Description of its construction, operating principles, ana limitations. i. Instruction in procedures for assuring that * is in proper working condition. S. Instruction in fining fit* respirator prop erIt and checking for the adequacy of fix. i. Instruction in the proper use and mainte nance cf the respirator. ?. Discussion of the importance of careful idiag cf labels on the respirator and on its cen rtter and cf the manufacturer's instructions for its use and care. , An impu.-tam by-product of training is the sense of confidence that the trainee should develop tn h; acuity to use the respirator properly, if scmttctng susptetous snoud nappes to he rcs- t.- to me atmospheric conditions, be would :clly r-t.ncr than panic, anserve pace and avoid repetition, only its cf me tcregamg tst that r^,u.c spe-- .asts vu. ue mc.udcc is the discussion ct sgeci. :raining me various types o* * tors. However, all of the items should lee covered adequately ia me training program. n. ?ZC:~C TRADCXC FOR VARIOUS 7Y?SS OF RISPIRATORS Supervisory personnel should' be trained to select the proper type cf respirator for the job. A choice from several makes of the proper type and design of respirator might be left up to those who are to wear them. Such a procedure tends to less en the workers' apparent inborn resistance to wearing a respirator. Since the maintenance of respirators is dis cussed in Chapter 12, no specific instructions on this matter will be given here. However, instruc tion in proper maintenance of respirators is a very important part of any training program. A. Particulate-removing Respirators The particulate-removing (mechanical filter) respirator is the simplest type, yet there have bs many instances of misuse because of inade quate teaming. These misuses have included such practices as wearing the respirator upside down, wearing it without filters or without exhalation valve, and discarding the entire respirator be cause the filter "plugged up.* Trained persons would not have committed these blunders. Since die main field of use of parficulateremoving respirators is for respiratory protec tion against contaminants that have no immediate unpleasant effects, the worker usually must be convinced that it is necessary for him to wear the respiratcr. This can be accomplished ia a tactual manner without undue "scare* tactics. Instruct the trainee how to cheek the respira tor to be sure that it is ia good wearing condition. Then allow him to actually check a respirator as follows: 1. Chack the exhalation and inhalation valves to see that they are in place and not misshapen, and that ns dirt or list is on the valve or valve is.'faces. 2. Chuck the body of the facepiece to see that the fee e-chatacting periphery is clean ana has not been unduly softened by body oils, distorted, or f'UTwgr.iw, 3. Chuck for the presence and condition of gasacts and special spacers, if any. nvz HEvie Ed t-iaxgal ..... .*> # * .. .Upi-.:. p.-.ru*. and repair cr rc- pb..-.. damaged .c d,i.vi:v. ;;r.s. Ir.struct irutn.v mw 10 uvar lie respira tor -properly. air.ee th. most isipcrtasi par; ci this pan... a:' training is ;o fit the respirator iti his i-.ee. shew ala: how to test for proper iaco fit, liter. remove the respirator from it* ioce, ar.d have him go through lie procedure several times by himself until ie is confident that he caa do it prop erly. 5tress lie importance si maintaining a prop er fate fit. A convenient sicass for testing lie fire fit 1* :a ;:om off lie exhalation valve aad ex hale gcafiy into the facepiece. Tie face fix is satis factory if a slight poeiiive pressure cas be built up X the facepiece without aay evidence of out ward leakage of air at she periphery. Instruct ia the seed to char.go lie filter aad i.:e procedure for changing is Train is the proper maintenance a lie rcspiraior, particularly if a centralized system for respirator taaisxeaznce U sot seed. u.ue. l.iunr.iyl ac-iutc caa la d. leattd by odor in v:ry lc-..-vu;:uraor.cenira:i03S. k me p-.-rsor. wearin. ihu respi.-i.ir car. .ntcr and reamin ia file lest atmosphere for a minute or two without detecting fiie odor of isoamyl aceute, the respirator is properly fined. If he detects the odor of iscamyi accsae, he should retreat to fresh air, readjust file facepiccc. asd then repeal the test. If leakage is still noted, he should retreat to fresh air sad recheck the respirator, as previously, if the res pirator is x be worn ia air containing contami nants other than organic vapors, replace the or* ganic vapor cartridges with cartridges of the ap propriate type, after a satisfactory face fit test. There are many occasions when it is neces sary u conduct fit:tag tests X the field. A field check is illustrated X Fig. 13.1. The .reliability of the face fit is checked by pouring a few drops of Isoamyl acetate osx a piece of cotton asd waving It gently near the periphery of the facepiece while the wearer breathes normally. The concentration is likely to be above 100 ppm, but it does serve to check the face fit and is commonly used X X# field. 3. Gas- and Vaacr-re--orir.a Respirators 1. Chemical Caririicc Rcipirator Discuss she following limitations of the chem ical cartridge respiraio-- Ii la for cae only against the type of cor.ua:lair.: listed oa the cartridge label, is concentration* so: exceeding the maxi mum gives os the cartridge label. It will not af ford reapiraiory proiectios against particulates unless a particulate-removing filter la indicated aad pretest. Instruction asd irair.iag ia checking aad fitting the respirator should be the same as described for paniculate respirators except fiat the trainee should check the cartridge (aad particulateremoving filter, if used! to see that it is of the proper type, is ia good physical condition, and is seated securely against its gashes It is desirable that the trainee cheek the fit .of the facepiece by actually wearing the respirator, equipped with or ganic vapor carmidges, is as atmosphere contain ing approximately 130 parts per million (ppm) of i^aaatyl acetate vapor .banana oil). Before this tost is made, an organic vapor cartridge should be affixed tc the respirator ia lira of any ether type special test chamber is not needed for this training sir.:: such a concentration car. no built up in any ream, without damage to its contents, by evapcratuig 17.e milliliters (ml; cf iscamyi ace tate far eaca l.CCO cubic feet .ft3; cf room vol- Fig. 13. Field test of face fit of respirators using isoamyl aceute.