1. RESPIRATORY SAFETY

3. Respirators Will Protect You + Hazardous particles in the air can cause serious injuries or death + Use a respirator whenever you enter an area with hazardous particles in the air + You may not be able to see or smell hazardous air particles until it’s too late

4. Two Most Common Respirators + Air purifying respirators clean the air with: Filters Cartridges Canisters + Supplied air respirators supply you with clean air from an outside source

5. Air Purifying Respirators (APRs) + Remove harmful substances from the air you breathe so you can stay safe + Have tight fitting facepieces to stop you from breathing contaminated air

6. Benefits and Limitations of Air Purifying Respirators (APRs) + Benefit of APRs is that they: Are lightweight and allow you to easily move around the facility + Limitations of APRs are that they: Have filters and cartridges that must be changed regularly Don’t provide oxygen or protection from conditions that are immediately dangerous to your life and health

7. Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) + Provide breathing air that is independent from the environment + Range from: SCBAs Air-line suppliers Protective suits

8. Benefits and Limitations of Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) + Benefits of SARs are that: They can be used for any type of contaminant or exposure level + Limitations of SARs are that: Movement is restricted Hoses can bump into machinery SCBAs are heavy and their time is limited by the volume of air in the cylinder

9. Medical Evaluations + Don’t use a respirator until a health care professional determines you are physically able to do so + Management will organize the testing + For people with existing medical conditions, respirator use can cause injury or death

10. Qualitative Fit Testing + Ensures your respirator fits properly + Is performed at initial fitting and then annually after that + Relies on your ability to detect a harmless substance in your breathing space

11. Quantitative Fit Testing + Measures the amount of hazardous particles that could leak into your respirator + Produces a number called the ‘fit factor’ + The larger the number, the safer you are

12. Positive and Negative Pressure Fit Checks + Check the fit of your respirator before every use + Positive pressure fit checks are for supplied air respirators + Negative pressure fit checks are for air purifying respirators

13. Respirator Inspection + Before and after each use + At least monthly for emergency equipment + If defective, don’t use + Tagout to ensure accidental use doesn’t occur

14. Leave the Respirator Area if You + Smell or taste something out of the ordinary + Feel your eyes or throat becoming irritated + Observe a change in your breathing + Notice the facepiece is leaking or other parts of the respirator are broken + Hear an alarm signaling equipment has failed

15. Respirator Maintenance + Dirty, inoperative respirators will not effectively protect you + Clean or disinfect other people’s respirators before wearing + Store respirators properly to protect against damage

16. Summary + Working in an area with hazardous particles in the air can cause injury or death + Air Purifying Respirators remove harmful substance from the air + Supplied Air Respirators provide clean air from outside the contaminated work area + Fit Testing ensures a proper fit