Respiratory protection is a necessary part of many jobs throughout many different types of industries—disposable respirators, reusable respirators, powered air purifying respirators (PAPR), self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Protecting workers from certain hazardous particulates, gases, vapors, fumes and other contaminants is an important concern that should be top of mind. People may be familiar with disposable respirators, which are commonly confused
Curious about why respirators expire? Here’s what you can do to make sure your respirator inventory stays up to date and ready to go. ST. PAUL, Minn. – If you’re responsible for managing inventories of personal protection equipment, you should be aware that most disposable respirators – used to protect wearers against particulate airborne hazards – have a limited shelf life, after
Silica is a natural substance found in rocks, sand, and clay and in products such as certain bricks and concrete. In the workplace, these materials can create dust when they are cut, sanded, carved, and ground. Some of this dust may be fine enough to breathe deeply into the lungs and may be associated with negative health effects, especially for
When considering the purchase of new SCBA, it is important to understand the compliance implications of purchasing “refurbished” SCBA from a supplier not authorized by its manufacturer. Several businesses in the United States and Canada advertise and sell SCBA that are “refurbished” or “reconditioned” units from various SCBA manufacturers. U.S. OSHA regulations [29 CFR 1910.134(h)(4)] require that “the employer shall
There is significant science behind evaluating the fit of respiratory protection. Have you ever heard of qualitative fit testing and quantitative fit testing? No? Let’s learn more. U.S. OSHA specifies approved procedures for both qualitative fit testing (QLFT) and quantitative fit testing (QNFT). There are several methods of QNFT – some involve measuring the concentration of an aerosol challenge agent
What is diacetyl? Diacetyl is also known as an alpha-diketone, 2,3-butanedione, or by its Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number, 431-03-08. That's the science. Diacetyl is a volatile organic compound most known as a flavoring agent in microwavable buttered popcorn. What you may not realize, is that diacetyl is also produced naturally during coffee processing and in other food processing with
