Choosing the best type of respirator for your work

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to conduct exposure assessments whenever respiratory protection is required on a jobsite.

Before you select respiratory protection, you first have to know what hazards are present and how much of it there is. Here is how to determine the best type of respirator for your work

A simple two-strap particulate respirator probably won’t give you the protection you need if you are spraying pesticides or other chemicals, and a full-face air-purifying respirator would be too restricting and cumbersome for simple demolition work.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to conduct exposure assessments whenever respiratory protection is required on a jobsite to determine the best type of respirator for your work.

This compels employers to make a “reasonable estimate” of the anticipated exposures, under normal working conditions, as well as “those likely to be encountered in reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.”

While OSHA does not specify how the employer is to make these reasonable estimates, often the best solution is to hire a professional air testing company. They will provide precise exposure readings and expert advice on respiratory protection and what would be the best type of respirator for your work.

Following are some general guidelines and advice on exposure assessments for employers or the self-employed.

Do an exposure assessment

• When there is an OSHA substance-specific standard (lead, asbestos, methylene chloride, etc.)
• When employees notice signs such as odors or nasal irritation, or complain of respiratory health effects
• When emissions are visible (fumes, dust, etc.)

Identify and characterize the contaminant

• Is it particulate (dust, mist, aerosol, fumes) or gas/vapor?
• Are material safety data sheets available?
• Are there any mandatory occupational exposure levels?

Measure the exposure level

To get an accurate enough estimate on workplace respiratory hazards, OSHA allows

• Sampling – personal exposure monitoring is the preferred method because it supplies the most reliable approach for exposure assessment and respiratory protection required.
• Objective information – This could include data from industry-wide surveys by trade associations. You may also use industry standards data on the physical and chemical properties of the contaminants combined with information such as room size, air exchange rates, contaminant release rates, etc.

Account for variation in exposure levels, such as using worst-case assumptions and estimations to evaluate the highest foreseen exposure level. Additional safety factors may be required to account for uneven dispersion and/or proximity of the worker to the emission source.

However you do it, don’t take exposure assessments lightly. Whether you’re looking out for the health of 25 employees or just yourself, having the right information at the start will help you choose the protection you need.

For more information on selecting a respirator, read Guide to selecting an air-purifying respirator and Guide to respirator ratings.

—By Rob Fanjoy