CIH Review Course

Respiratory Protection and

Personal Protective
Equipment

Jim Woods, CIH, CSP

408 742-3033
[email protected]

Aug 99

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 Handouts in binders
• List of terms to know
• Copy of overhead slides
• Personal Protective Equipment: Respirators
and gloves, Mark Nicas
• NIOSH Respirator Decision Logic Sequence
• Assigned protection factors (NIOSH)
• Protective Clothing and Equipment
• 3M Summary of ANSI Z88.2-1992 in 3M Job
Health Highlights, Fall 1993.
• NIOSH guide: Particulate Respirators
42CFR84
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 Recommended reading
• “White Book”, 1997, AIHA, Chapters 35 & 36
• Guide to Industrial Respirator Protection, NIOSH, 1987 “Blue
Book”
• Quick Selection Guide to Chemical Protective Clothing,
Krister Forsberg and Zack Mansdorf, Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York, 1989
• Commodity Specification for Air, Arlington, VA; Compressed
Gas Assoc., 1989
• ANSI Standard for Respiratory Protection, Z88.2-1992,
American National Standards Institute, Inc.
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, “Green book”,
July 97
• CFR 1910.134, Feb 8, ‘98
• Respiratory Protection: A Manual and Guideline, AIHA

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OSHA’s Respiratory Protection
Program
1. Written program
2. Selection base on hazards involved
3. Operator training
4. Reserved (?)
5. Cleaning and disinfection of respirators
6. Storage of respirators
7. Inspection and maintenance of respirators
8. Surveillance of worker exposures
9. Regular evaluation of respirator program
10. Medical evaluation of respirator users
11. Use of approved respirators

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 Respiratory protection

OSHA’s general policy on respirator use:

• Where engineering or administrative controls

are not feasible or insufficient

• During the time when engineering or

administrative controls are being
implemented

• For emergency response situations

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 Recent changes in regulations

• NIOSH changes to respirator equipment

approvals
• Substance specific standards sometimes
contain unique requirements
• Federal OSHA issued new 1910.134 standard
in February 98
– Consolidates other standards’ requirements
– APF deferred
– Some changes in medical qualifications
– Fit testing required for all tight-fitting respirators
– Cartridge changeout to be based on objective data
– Respirator administrator

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 Determining physical state of
airborne contaminant
Listing of contaminant in TLV book is a clue but
there are some exceptions
Guidelines for estimating airborne phase have
been developed based on:
• identity of the major constituents
• saturated vapor concentrations of
constituents
• estimate of total airborne mass concentration
(the saturated vapor concentration and total airborne
concentration can help predict phase)

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 Types of respirators
Air-purifying respirators
– Filters (for particulates)
– Cartridges (for gases or vapors) - may have filters, too
– Canisters (used with “gas masks” -- large capacity)
– Oxygen must be > 19.5%

• Atmosphere supplying respirators

– SCBA’s
– Supplied air respirators (Type C or CE)
– Combinations of SCBA’s and SAR’s

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 Aerosol removing respirators

Filters can remove dusts, mists, fumes, others

Cannot protect against gases, vapors, or low O2
Removal mechanisms:
• interception
• sedimentation
• impaction
• diffusion
• electrostatic attraction

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 New NIOSH 42 CFR 84
Regulations
• Effective July 1995
• For testing, certifying non-powered, air-
purifying, particulate-filter respirators
• Replaces DM and DFM, spray paint, pesticide,
etc. cartridges
• Does not change chemical cartridge, SCBA,
airline, gas mask, PAPR types
• Manufacturers can ship and sell Part 11 filter
cartridges until July 1998

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 Nine filter types

• 3 levels of filter efficiency:

– 95% (called “95”)
– 99% (called “99”)
– 99.97% (called “100”)

• 3 categories of resistance to filter efficiency

degradation:
–N (Not resistant to oil)
–R (Resistant to oil)
–P (oil Proof)
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 Selection of N, R, and P-series
filters

• If no oil particles are present in the work

environment, use a filter of any series.
• If oil particles are present, use an R- or P-
series filter.
• If oil particles are present and the filter is to
be used for more than one work shift, use
only a P-series filter.
• Selection of filter efficiency depends on how
much filter leakage can be accepted.
• Choice of facepiece depends on level of
protection needed (APF).
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 Gas and vapor removing
respirators
Use sorbents
Housed in cartridges or canisters
Removal mechanisms:
– adsorption
– absorption
– chemisorption
– catalysis
Designed for specific contaminants or classes

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 Gas and vapor removing
cartridges
Organic vapor cartridges:

• currently tested with CCl4 at 1000 ppm (only)

• may or may not be very effective for specific
vapors
• seek guidance from respirator manufacturer
including test data on vapor in use
• only small amount of charcoal in cartridges
• more charcoal in canisters
• color code: black
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 Service life of cartridges or
canisters
Depends on:
• quality and amount of sorbent
• packing uniformity and density
• exposure conditions, breathing rate
• relative humidity
• temperature
• contaminant concentration
• affinity of the gas or vapor for the sorbent
• presence of other gases and vapors

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 Acid gas respirators

• Designed for removing acidic gases

• Tested by NIOSH against chlorine, HCl and SO2

(only)

• Limited to fairly low concentrations

– Chlorine 10 ppm
– Hydrogen chloride 50 ppm
– Sulfur dioxide 50 ppm

• Color code: white

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 Alkaline gas cartridges

• Contains chemicals for removing alkaline

gases such as:
– ammonia
– methylamine

• Concentrations limited
– ammonia 300 ppm
– methylamine 100 ppm

• Color code: green

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 Air-purifying respirators
additional information
• Replace cartridges:
– NIOSH: daily or after each use, or even more often if odor, taste,
or irritation
– some canisters may have end of service life indicators
• Other cartridges available:
– pesticides
– carbon monoxide
– ethylene oxide
– formaldehyde
– hydrogen fluoride
– hydrogen sulfide
– mercury
– phosphine
– vinyl chloride

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 Colors for AP elements

• Acid gas white

• Organic vapors black
• Ammonia gas green
• Carbon monoxide blue
• Acid gases and organic vapors yellow
• Acid gas, ammonia, and OV brown
• Acid gas, ammonia, CO, and OV red
• Other vapors and gases olive
• Radioactive materials (HEPA) purple *
• Dusts, fumes, mists (non-radio)orange *

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“Adequate warning properties”

NIOSH permits air purifying respirators only if

the contaminant has adequate warning
properties:
– reliable detection of the contaminant below the PEL by
user’s sense of smell, taste, or irritation
– only applies to gases and vapors -- not particulate
– Exception is if AP element has an ESLI.
– Remember that odor thresholds vary substantially from
one individual to another
OSHA: respirator cartridge changeout based
on odors or taste unacceptable (new
standard)

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 NIOSH/MSHA certification

• Testing and certification codes issued (TC #)

• NIOSH personnel do actual testing
• List of approved respirators published

• TC 13F + 2-3 digits SCBA

• TC 14G + 2-3 digits AP gas mask
• TC 19C + 2-3 digits SAR
• TC 21C + 2-3 digits Particulate AP
• TC 23C + 2-3 digits Gas or vapor AP

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 Atmosphere-supplying
respirators
• Air-line respirators

• Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)

• Combination SCBA and SAR

Must be supplied with Grade D breathing air,

usually from bottles or compressors

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 Supplied air respirators

• Airline respirators
– called “Type C” or “Type CE”
– hose can be up to 300 feet
– 4 cfm required for tight-fitting mask, 6 cfm for hoods and
helmets
– available in demand, pressure demand, and continuous
flow arrangements

• Hose masks
– Type A (motor or hand-operated blower)
– Type B (no blower)
– large diameter hoses

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 Sources of breathing air
• Compressors
– Subject to failure
– If oil-lubricated, can overheat changing oil mist into CO
– Carbon vane type are available and oil-less
– Can run continuously
– Can be fitted with CO sensor and/or adsorption units
– Air intake location is critical

• Compressed gas cylinders (breathing air)

– Can be up to 3500 psi
– Finite air supply...for limited time spans
– Do not rely on utility services
• Blowers used for hose masks
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 Criteria for Grade D
compressed air
• Oxygen 19.5% to 23.5%
oxygen (vol)

• Hydrocarbons < 5mg/M3 (oil mist)

• Carbon dioxide < 1000 ppm

• Carbon monoxide < 10 ppm

• Odor no pronounced odor

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 Self-contained breathing
apparatus
• Open-circuit type
– bottled air from 2000 to 4500 psi typically
– time from 15 min to 60 min typically
– demand or pressure demand or continuous flow
– can be combined with supplied air respirator
– escape-only type available in 5, 7, 10 or 15 minute size
• Closed-circuit type (also called re-breathers)
– could be either negative or positive pressure type
– possible to “over breathe”
– more complicated to maintain
– requires more training
– longer use period ... sometimes up to 4 hours

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 Respirator selection

Routine use vs non-routine use

Workplace hazards
Physical Characteristics
Physical demands of the work
Respirator capabilities and limitations

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 Exposure assessments
• Identify airborne contaminants where possible
• Match up specifications and limitations of
respirators
• Consider abnormal conditions that may
cause concentrations to rise
• Think in terms of “worst case” exposures
• Apply substance-specific requirements
• Communicate information to employees;
discuss signs, symptoms of overexposure
• Keep good records

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 1
P
PF

Respirator capabilities, limitations

Protection factors
• protection factor: pf = Co/Ci
C air
• Assigned protection factor APF APF 
TLV
(also called hazard ratio)
1
• Penetration: P 
PF

• Fit factor is the PF observed during a

quantitative fit test (usually only 5 to 10 min)
• Workplace protection factor (WPF)
– time up to 8 hours
– the Ci value is the average contaminant value inside the
respirator
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 Protection factors, continued

• Effective protection factor

– over unspecified length of time
– supposed to represent total protection afforded worker
including times worn and not worn.
– Used in OSHA’s lead standard

• Program protection factor

– sometimes used with lead aerosols

• Assigned protection factor

– NIOSH: minimum anticipated WPF provided by a properly
functioning respirator or class of respirators
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 Protection factors, continued

• Maximum use concentration (MUC)

– the product of the APF and the exposure limit
– must not be > IDLH or in excess of the cartridge limits
– Based on several factors: APF, IDLH concentrations, and
regulatory limits

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 Fit testing
• Qualitative fit testing (QLFTs)
– isoamyl acetate (IAA)
– irritant smoke (usually titanium and stannic chloride)
– saccharin aerosol (taste test)
– denatonium benzoate (Bitrex)
– must verify wearer can respond
– wearer must be truthful
• Quantitative fit testing (QNFTs)
– dioctyl phthalate aerosol (DOP)
– corn oil
– sodium chloride
– DEHS
– ambient air (with submicron particulate counting)
– ambient air (pressure differential)

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 Non-routine use of respirators
Three situations require careful consideration:
• entry into confined spaces
• entry into oxygen-deficient atmospheres
• emergencies

IDLH
ANSI: “...any atmosphere that poses an immediate,
irreversible debilitating effects on health...”
(acute effects vs chronic exposures)
New OSHA standard requires atmospheres to be
considered IDLH unless shown otherwise

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 IDLH, continued

NIOSH: IDLH based on two factors:

• worker must be able to escape within 30 min
without losing life or suffering permanent
health damage, and
• worker must be able to escape without severe
eye or respiratory irritation or other reactions
that could inhibit escape

also, atmospheres > LEL are IDLH

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NIOSH respirator decision logic

IDLH atmospheres -- Only 2 types allowed:

– SCBA in pressure-demand mode (>15 minute air supply)
– Type C airline respirator, pressure-demand or continuous
flow mode, with auxiliary escape bottle (minimum service
life of 3 minutes)

IDLH atmospheres (low oxygen)

– Can use demand (negative pressure) airline respirator

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 Respirator standards

Respirator testing, approval standards:

42 CFR 84 (NIOSH), formerly NIOSH/MSHA

Respirator use standards:

• OSHA - 29 CFR 1910.134 (and others)
• ANSI Z88.2 - 1992
• MSHA
• NRC

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 Hearing protection

• Above 120 dBA conduction of noise to the

inner ear starts to defeat plugs, muffs, etc.
• Types of protection devices:
– special helmets
– ear muffs and cups
– ear plugs (aural and superaural)
– fitting by medical people is advisable
– superaural “caps” held in place by bands - less effective
• Combination muffs and plugs
• Above 1000 Hz - little difference between type

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 Dermal hazard categories

• Chemical, e.g., irritants, allergens corrosives,

dermal toxins systemic toxins, cancer
causing agents
• Physical, e.g., trauma producing, thermal
hazards (hot/cold), fire, vibration, radiation
• Biological, e.g., human, animal, or
environmental pathogens

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 Gloves and protective clothing
factors to consider

• Degradation
– harmful change in one or more physical properties of a
protective material when subjected to a chemical
• Penetration
– the flow of chemicals through closures, zippers, seams,
pinholes, etc.
• Permeation
– movement of a chemical through a protective material

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Factors to consider (continued)

• Permeation rate
– the amount (mass) of chemical per unit time for an area
of material once steady state has been achieved. Units
are usually expressed as mg of chemical per square
meter of material per minute (or second).

– Permeation tests are usually conducted for up to 8 hours.

If no breakthrough, usually expressed as BT> 480 min.

• Breakthrough time
– time for a chemical to pass through a protective material

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 3 Steps for material testing

• Sorption of the chemical on the surface

• Diffusion of the chemical through the material

• Desorption of the chemical from the

material’s inside surface

Challenge and collection chambers used

– Collection chamber is swept with a gas or liquid to
present the chemical to a sensitive analytical instrument.

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 Glove selection

• Chemical toxicity
• Permeation parameters for chemical/glove
• Nature of exposure
• Physical factors associated with job
– cut resistance and tearing
– manual dexterity and flexibility
– temperature extremes
• Cost

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 Chemical protective clothing
analysis
• Job classification or task
• Process or task summary
• Potential or actual chemical hazards
• Physical properties of chemicals
• Potential or actual physical hazards
• Chemical contact periods
• Type of potential contact
• Body zones of potential contact

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 PPE regulations

OSHA (29 CFR.1910.132) requires:

• hazard assessments before worker
assignment
• selection of appropriate equipment
• communicate selection decision to
employees
• train in use and limitations of PPE
• employer to supply PPE

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 OSHA’s 8-step PPE process

1. Determine type of hazard(s) like to occur

2. Determine adverse effects of unprotected
exposures
3. See if other control options can be used
4. Determine performance characteristics
needed for protection
5. Determine need for decontamination
6. Determine ergonomic constraints presented
7. Determine cost of various options
8. Make the selection
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New OSHA Respirator Standard

• Use engineering controls where feasible

• Employer supplies respirators and
establishes a program
• Program must be written with work-site
specific procedures and elements for
required respirator use
• Program must have an administrator
• Medical evaluations
• Fit testing for tight-fitting respirators

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New OSHA Respirator Standard

• New procedures where respirator is worn

voluntarily
• Appropriate selection of respirators - NIOSH
certification and within certification limits
• Evaluate exposures - assume IDLH if unable
to evaluate
• Selection to include sufficient number…to get
a good fit
• Change-out of cartridges - ESLI or “objective
data”

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New OSHA Respirator Standard

Medical evaluations:
• PLHCP
• Screening questionnaire
• Follow-up examination if any positive
answers
• Supply PLHCP with respirator info, work
conditions, other PPE, duration and
frequency or respirator use, copy of written
program and OSHA standard
• Must supply PAPR if negative pressure
respirator is unacceptable
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New OSHA Respirator Standard

Additional Medical evaluations required when:

• Report of related medical signs or symptoms

• PLHCP, supervisor or program administrator
informs the employer that a reevaluation is
needed
• Information from program, fit-testing suggest
need for reevaluation
• Change in workplace increases physiological
burden on worker

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New OSHA Respirator Standard

Fit testing:
• Qualitative or quantitative methods used for
tight-fitting respirators
• Must be re-fitted when respirator changed
and annually
• Qualitative can only be used with fit factors of
100 or less; quantitative required when
FF > 100
• Must use methods in Appendix A
• Atmosphere-supplying respirator must be
tested when in negative pressure mode
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New OSHA Respirator Standard

Other things …
• No facial hair that can interfere with seal
• User seal test
• Cannot base cartridge change-outs on odor,
smell or taste
• Seal check whenever donning respirator
• In IDLH areas, must have standby outside
equipped and trained for rescuing
• Structural firefighting: 2 in and 2 out (buddy)

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