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Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE) is essential gear for protecting you from inhaling hazardous substances. In this blog, we’ll explore the important role of RPE, whether you are dealing with airborne contaminants like asbestos, fumes, or dust, RPE is an essential protective equipment (PPE) that makes sure you can breathe safely. Join us as we deep dive into the different types of RPE, their applications, and how they can protect you from potential health risks.

Before you even get started with RPE, make sure you have other practical control measures in place first; such as local exhaust ventilation or direct dust-extracted tools with a vacuum catchment to get rid of the majority of contaminants in the air. You should also be keeping an eye on your team’s health and workplace conditions to ensure that, over time, they aren’tbecomign unwell or getting injured by their work.

Remember, there is no such thing as healthy dust, even if you are outside!

We’ve gone ahead and put together a quick guide of factors to consider when providing your workers with RPE.

Types of RPE

RPE should be the last resort to protect against harmful dust. Before work starts, look at ways of stopping or reducing the amount of dust you might make. Even if you stop some dust this way, you may do other work that could still produce high dust levels. In these cases the most important action is to stop the dust getting into the air with either water or extraction. 

Water or on-tool extraction may not always be appropriate or they might not reduce exposure enough. Often respiratory protection (RPE) has to be provided as well. You will need to make sure that the RPE is: 

adequate for the amount and type of dust – RPE has an assigned protection factor (APF) which shows how much protection it gives the wearer. The general level for construction dust is an APF of 20. This means the wearer only breathes one twentieth of the amount of dust in the air;

• Suitable for the work – disposable masks or half masks can become uncomfortable to wear for long periods. Powered RPE helps minimise this. Consider it when people are working for more than an hour without a break
• Compatible with other items of protective equipment;
•  Fits the user. Face fit testing is needed for tight-fitting masks;
•  Worn correctly. Anyone using tight-fitting masks also needs to be clean shaven. 

Respirators use replaceable filters to remove contaminants to clean the air for the wearer. They come in disposable, half-face and full-face versions. The cartridge filters are specific to certain types of contaminants, ask your manufacturer exactly which cartridge you should be using for the respirator you have and the contaminants you will be facing.

Remember if you have stubble or any facial hair you may not be getting the seal and the protection you think you are! So if you love your beard as much as your lungs read on to find out what you can do.

Powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs)
Are made up of headgear and fan assembly that take contaminated air, filter it, and then delivers the clean air to the user. These are also known as positive pressure systems. These not only keep you nice and cool but offer the highest protection there is for people who have facial hair. Something to note with these is that the visors and headset can be impact rated if you need it, and don’t fog up because of the airflow.

Supplied air respirators
Provide a supply of clean air to the wearer from a source such as an air compressor or cylinder. It’s important to note that the air supply needs to be checked regularly to make sure that it is safe to use – just think about what you see coming out of your air compressor when you release the valve under the air tank! The user must also be trained in how to use the system.

Using RPE

It’s important for your workers to visually check their RPE for signs of damage before each use to identify any issues, including whether it needs to be cleaned or decontaminated.

Make sure your team keeps their RPE on while working in the hazardous area. Removing it for even a short period of time is a risk to their health.

Face Fit Testing – Why it matters

Did you know that they come in different sizes? One size does not fit all!

Everyone’s face is different, so one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to RPE. If a mask doesn’t fit properly, it won’t do its job, which could lead to serious health issues. Fit testing helps make sure the mask forms a proper seal and keeps harmful particles out. It also helps identify which masks aren’t suitable for certain workers. The manufacturer of the RPE can tell you who can do this testing.

There are two checks which you need to do each time you use RPE:

1. Check for damage visually to the sealing surfaces and straps
2. Check the valves are functioning correctly like the images below

Keep in mind that if your workers’ safety glasses fog up while they are wearing a half-face respirator, this is a sign that there is a leak at the top of the respirator which means they are not getting full protection.

A close shave for safety

If your crew is wearing respiratory protective equipment (RPE), they need to be clean-shaven. Even a bit of stubble can stop the mask from sealing properly, which means they’re still breathing in harmful dust and chemicals. A proper fit and the right RPE for the job go hand in hand.

A recent study tested different masks on 15 guys, checking the fit right after shaving and again over the next week. The results? Stubble started affecting the seal within 24 hours and got worse as the hair grew. That means protection can drop fast, putting workers at risk.

Stay on top of safety

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to monitor your team’s health. Make sure you’re doing regular Site Reviews using the HazardCo App to spot risks and put proper controls in place. If you need a hand, the HazardCo Support Team is here to help—just reach out!

Got any questions? Reach out to the HazardCo Team