Respiratory Protection

Standards

WorkArma Respiratory Protection devices are manufactured and certified to AS/NZS 1716:2012 – Respiratory Protective Devices. AS/NZS 1716 stipulates the design, guidelines and characteristics for the manufacturing of respirators

AS/NZS 1715:2009 outlines the required selection, use and maintenance of Respiratory Protective equipment (RPE), providing the wearer and employer with information on the correct selection, fit and maintenance of RPE

Understanding Respiratory Protection

Particles, gases and vapours have the potential to bypass natural body defences. As they mix with the air, and are inhaled through the mouth, nose and throat, contaminants can enter the respiratory system, causing further potential harm to the lungs, organs and even the central nervous system.

Air-purifying respirators (APRs) work by removing gases, vapours, aerosols (droplets and solid particles), or a combination of contaminants from the air through the use of filters, cartridges, or canisters. Filtering options are available in the WorkArma range to match and protect against the offending hazards.

What Am I Protecting Myself Against?

To assist with choosing the correct filter, AS/NZS 1715:2009 classifies contaminates into
the following types:

Contaminate	Description
Smoke	Made up from the solid and liquid products of combustion. Smoke particles settle slowly under gravity
Mists	Fine droplets of airborne liquid which are created by atomisation or condensation. Mist such as oil mists or acid mists.
Fumes	Generated from a heating process when the vapour of a contaminate reacts with air to form an oxide. Common examples of fumes are welding and soldering.
Dust and Fibres	Generated by mechanical devices,(sanding/grinding). Dust fibres can be rather dangerous and have the potential to cause serious illness (asbestos, silica, lead)
Gasses	A matter that has no fixed shape or volume. Gasses will occupy an entire environment as they compress into all areas. Gasses tend to be lighter than air and therefore can create a plume and displace oxygen. Common gasses include natural gas, carbon dioxide, nitrogen
Vapours	Tends to be generalised as a gas, however a vapour consists of two different substances at room temperature, whereas a gas consists of a single substance at room temperature. Vapour examples include organic solvents - turpentine, acetone, toluene

What Should I Consider When Choosing a Respirator?

Choosing the correct Respiratory Protector can be rather daunting and many factors should be considered. AS/NZS 1715:2009 recommends the below should form part of your decision process

Conduct air sampling to ascertain the contamination present. If contamination is unknown there are two choices – do not enter the area or wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Ensure the area has adequate oxygen levels (19.5%). Filters do not provide oxygen, they filter contaminates
The task at hand – consider mobility, heat/cold, restrictions and access

The medical condition of the wearer – consider their physical and psychological suitability to the task and PPE
Other PPE and how they will interact with the respiratory protector – e.g. Faceshields, Hearing Protection, Hard Hat
Ensure the Respirator is certified to AS/NZS 1716:2012

Respiratory Protectors

Disposable Respirators

Disposable Half Facepiece respirators filter out particles such as dust, mists and fumes. They do NOT provide protection against gases and vapours.

Reusable Half Face Respirators

Reusable Half Face Respirators have replaceable cartridges or filters. They cover the nose and mouth providing protection against gases, vapours or particles when equipped with the appropriate cartridge or filter

Reusable Full Face Respirators

Reusable Full Face Respirators have replaceable canisters, cartridges or filters. They cover not only the nose and mouth, but also the facepiece covers the face and eyes offering additional Eye Protection. Full Face Respirators offer increased protection when compared to Half Face Respirators (disposable and reusable)

Respiratory Protectors Level of Protection

Respiratory Protectors and filters are classified according to the face/filters level of leakage/protection.

Classification	Efficiency	Leakage	Effective Against
P1	80% (particles to .0001mm)	20%	Mechanically generated particulates - dust
P2	94% (particles to .0003mm)	6%	Mechanically and thermally generated particles – welding fumes
P3	99.95% (particles to .0003mm)	0.05%	All particles including highly toxic materials - full face only

Types of Filter Choices

Filters are classified via the contamination filtered and colour coded accordingly. Each filter will have a corresponding colour shown on the filter to demonstrate protection received.

Colour	Filter Type	Contaminants Present
	AX 1	Gases and vapours of organic compounds with boiling point <65 o C
	A	Gases and vapours of organic compounds with boiling point >65o C
	B	Inorganic gases and vapours e.g. chlorine, hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen cyanide
	E	Sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride
	K	Ammonia and organic ammonia derivatives
	Hg 2	Mercury vapour
	P	Particles

1) AX filters can only be used for a maximum of 8 hours and must be replaced after use

2) Hg filters can only be used for a maximum of 50 hours according to EN 14387

Gas Filters Are Also Classified By Their Capacity To Store Contaminates

Filter capacity

Class 1

Low to medium capacity

Class 2

Medium capacity

Class 3

High capacity

When Do I Change My Filters?

Duties being undertaken, fitness levels, concentration of contamination, ventilation all play a part in a filters life span.

All filters will display a “used by” date which is only suitable for unopened filters
Once the filter has become “active” or taken from its original packaging, the maximum life span of a filter is 6 months from the active date (with the exception of AX filters)