This standard sets out the principles of respiratory protection, as well as the requirements and recommendations for the selection, use, and maintenance of personal respiratory protective equipment (RPE) in the workplace. It is used to give the protection factor required, which is a measure of the degree of protection afforded by the respirator, defined as the ratio of the concentration of contaminant outside the respirator to that inside the respirator.
This standard includes hazard identification, risk assessment and control, Respiratory protection program, entry of contaminants in the body, selection of RPE, types of RPE and their limitations, medical and physical considerations, training, and typical RPE fit tests and checks.
This Standard specifies requirements for respiratory protective devices (respirators) intended to provide, according to type, varying degrees of protection against atmospheres containing substances which may be harmful if breathed; also, with certain types, to provide protection against atmospheres which may be deficient in oxygen. The Standard specifies requirements, performance, and testing criteria to be observed in the manufacture of respirators.
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Class P1 – Intended for use against mechanically generated particulates of sizes most commonly encountered in industry.. |
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Class P2 – Intended for use against both mechanically and thermally generated particulates. |
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Class P3 – Intended for use against all particulates including highly toxic materials. Can only be achieved with a full-face respirator or PAPR system. |
Each filter is designated by a letter or chemical abbreviation indicative of the substance or group of substances against which protection is intended. A class number indicates the level of absorption capacity. If a filter is a combination of types, it shall meet the requirements of each type separately.
The designation of filter type shall comply with one or a combination of the following:
Type A – For use against certain organic gases and vapours as specified by the manufacturer.
Type B – For use against certain inorganic gases and vapours as specified by the manufacturer (excluding carbon monoxide).
Type E – For use against sulphur dioxide and other acid gases and vapours as specified by the manufacturer.
Type G – For use against certain organic compounds with vapour pressures less than 1.3 Pa (0.01 mm Hg) at 25°C as specified by the manufacturer. These filters shall have an integral particulate filter with an efficiency at least equivalent to that of a P1 filter.
Type K – For use against ammonia and organic ammonia derivatives as specified by the manufacturer.
Type AX – For use against low boiling point organic compounds as specified by the manufacturer (boiling point less than 65°C).
Type NO – For use against oxides of nitrogen.
Type Hg – For use against metallic mercury.
Type MB – For use against methyl bromide.
Specific chemical type – For use against one or more specific chemicals not falling into any of the above type descriptions. The filter is identified by the name of that chemical. Additional particulate filtration may be provided.
| Colour codes for different types of filters | |
|---|---|
| Type | Colour code |
| A | Brown |
| B | Grey |
| E | Yellow |
| K | Green |
| O | White |
| NO | Blue |
| Hg | Red |
| AX | Brown |
Facial fit – TIL (Total Inward Leakage)
When the respirator is manufactured, a TIL test is done to confirm the facial fit; below is a table that outlines the performance requirements for TIL per respirator type:
| Respirator | Percent total filtration efficiency |
|---|---|
| Non-powered | |
| Half face piece | |
| Class P1 filter(s) | 80% |
| Class P2 filter(s) | 94% |
| Full face piece | |
| Class P3 | 99.95% |
| Powered | |
| Class PAPR P1 filter(s) | 95% |
| Class PAPR P2 filter(s) | 99% |
| Class PAPR P3 filter(s) | 99.95% |
The most significant contributor to reduced respiratory protection is a poor fit. Checking that a respirator, with a tight-fitting facepiece, provides an adequate seal to the wearer’s face has long been considered best practice as part of a general Respiratory Protection Program. A fit test for wearers’ tight-fitting facepieces is required for compliance with AS/NZS 1715 Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces including disposable respirators, half and full-face respirators, including those that form part of a powered or air-fed respirator.
Dusts are polydisperse solid aerosols, generated during processing of organic and inorganic substances. Solid particles can be mineral, metal, coal, wood, or crop dust, as well as fibers.
| 0.0001-0.001μm | 0.001-0.01μm | 0.01-0.1μm | 0.1-1.0μm | 1.0-10μm | 10-100μm | 100-1000μm | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere dust | |||||||||||||
| Welding fume | Industrial dust | ||||||||||||
| Cutting fumes / dust | |||||||||||||
| Glass fibres | |||||||||||||
| Asbestos | |||||||||||||
| Textile dust | |||||||||||||
| Bacteria | Pollen | ||||||||||||
| Viruses | Cement dust | ||||||||||||
| Tobacco smoke | Coal dust | ||||||||||||
| Oil mist | Fine dust | ||||||||||||
Maxisafe’s range of safety glasses and goggles are rigorously tested and certified to Australian Standards to provide superior protection against occupational risks.
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