Who is responsible for respirator maintenance

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Self-contained breathing apparatuses consist of a full-face mask fitted with a demand valve and supplied with clean air from vessels of compressed breathable air. Both negative and positive demand types are available. These devices are the most complex, requiring a high degree of training for both wearing and maintenance. The devices are only likely to be used in potentially very dangerous situations.

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Compressed airline breathing apparatuses are intended to be used in heavily industrial applications. The devices rely on a source of clean breathable compressed air at a maximum pressure of 10 bar. Sufficient volume should be available at the source to supply all the devices connected when working at their maximum demand. Some air supply systems also supply air tools such as spray guns. Their consumption should also be taken into account. The air is supplied to the wearer via a tube(s). This tube(s) can be heavy-duty and have good kink and crush resistance with a length determined by the manufacturer. The light-duty construction is used where there is a low risk of damaging the tube in the workplace.

RPE should not be confused with face masks such as surgical masks used in care facilities. These masks are not considered as personal protective equipment since they do not offer a protection for the user. A surgical mask is a medical device covering the mouth and nose ensuring a barrier to limit the transition of an infectious agent between the caregiver and the patient. Surgical masks fall under the EU Medical Device Regulation 2017/745 [3] and compliancy to this regulation is demonstrated by the CE-mark.

[7] HSA, A Guide to Respiratory Protective Equipment. 2010. Available at: https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Chemical_and_Hazardous_Substances/Respiratory%20Protective%20Equipment.pdf

The user of an RPE may carry out simple maintenance, such as replacing the filter(s), but more complicated repairs should only be undertaken by relevant personnel or services authorised by the manufacturer.

The protection provided by a class 2 or class 3 filter includes protection provided by the corresponding filter of lower class or classes.

[4] EU Commission, PPE Regulation Guidelines - Guide to application of Regulation EU 2016/425 on personal protective equipment, 2018. Available at: [5]

All RPE provided to the workers must also meet the requirements specified in the EU Regulation on personal protective equipment[2]. This regulation contains provisions on the design, manufacture and marketing of PPE. The CE marking affixed to PPE provides evidence of compliance of the product with the legal requirements. The EU Regulation is applicable to all PPE that is placed on the market (not only PPE used in the workplace) and sets out the rules for manufacturers. The CE marking affixed to PPE provides evidence of compliance of the product with the legal requirements. A PPE is subjected to conformity assessment both during the design and production phase. The manufacturer must ensure that the essential health and safety requirements remain fulfilled during the lifetime of the PPE. The presumption of conformity with the essential health and safety requirements is ensured by adherence to harmonised European standards.

Half masks: usually reusable moulded face pieces, of rubber or plastic, covers the nose and mouth of the wearer and is held in place with adjustable straps. Air passes through the relevant filter(s) by the wearer’s lung force, or may be supplied by a powered unit or suitable breathing apparatus attached to the mask. The exhaled air passes through an exhalation valve(s). Filters are available for particulates, gases or vapours or as a combination. The mask should conform to the EN 140:1998 standard. An example of a half mask in shown in the picture.

CCOHS – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (2011_0106). Designing an Effective PPE Program. Retrieved on 30 January 2013, from: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/designin.html

The principle that employers should treat RPE (and PPE in general) as a last resort when determining and implementing prevention measures is included in the EU legislation on OSH. Directive 89/656/EEC[1] states "personal protective equipment shall be used when the risks cannot be avoided or sufficiently limited by technical means of collective protection or by measures, methods or procedures of work organization." Other obligations for the employer include:

Any respirator will protect you in an idlh atmosphere

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HSE – Health and Safety Executive, Guidance on Regulations “Personal protective equipment at work (Third edition)", HSE Books, 2015. Available at:: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l25.htm

After putting on and adjusting the face pieces, it is necessary to check its tightness. In order to do so, the following ought to be done:

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Respiratory protectionToolbox Talk

OSHArespiratory protectionfact Sheet

After each use, face pieces that are reusable ought to be washed in warm water with soap and then thoroughly dried by leaving them to dry in a non-contaminated area. It is recommended to carry out frequent disinfection of face pieces (according to the producer’s instruction) and after each change of user. During periodical RPE reviews and before and after each use, it is necessary to check the correct functioning of valves, and – if necessary – replace valves. Valves that are out-of-order and lack tightness may become the reason of very serious poisoning.

[5] Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the Council on personal protective equipment and repealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC (Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under Union harmonisation legislation) (2018/C 209/03). available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018XC0615(03)

Moreover, there is a specific group of RPEs, the so-called rescue equipment, with a limited time of protective performance which allows the user to leave the contaminated area in a very short time. It is not applied for constant activities but is merely equipment for workers to use in rooms or buildings where there is a real risk of sudden emergency.

[9] Zhuang Z., Landsittel D., Benson S., Roberge R., Shaffer R., Facial anthropometric differences among gender, ethnicity, and age groups, The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2010, 54(4), pp. 391-402.

[2] Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment and repealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC (with effect from 21 April 2018). Available at: [3]

Proprietary spare parts and/or subassemblies need to be used in maintaining RPE. The use of non-original parts may invalidate approvals and can compromise the health and safety of the wearer.

Filtering face pieces: these face pieces are often called “disposable respirators". They either entirely or substantially consist of filter material. They should conform to the EN 149:2001 standard and are classified as FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 in order of increasing filtration efficiency.

when inspecting a respirator before you use it, ensure that:

EU-OSHA – European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Risk assessment essentials. Available at: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/risk-assessment-essentials/view

Trainings concerning RPE use ought to be organised at the employer’s expense and during working hours. Moreover, they should include new or changing types of hazards and be repeated periodically.

Reusable RPEs requires cleaning and disinfection after each use according to the procedures and means specified by the manufacturer.

Filters either entirely or substantially consist of filter material. There are particle filters, gas filters and combined filters.

In order to provide the required level of protection, relevant training on how to adequately select, fit, use, maintain and store the RPE is necessary. Training for workers (RPE wearers) should be tailored to the specific RPE intended for use, and to the application to which it will be put. The relevant training should cover both the theory and practice of various types of RPEs to be used, and it will have to be based on the recommendations and instructions supplied by the manufacturer. The content of the training depends on the complexity and performance delivered by the equipment, and on the target work environment in which the equipment will be used. A typical training procedure/programme shall include:

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EU Commission, Personal protective equipment, https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/mechanical-engineering/personal-protective-equipment_en

OSHArespiratory protectionstandard PDF

To select the most adequate and suitable RPE for the task, it is necessary to conduct a risk assessment. Based on the assessment the selected RPE has to offer an adequate protection to the hazard and to reduce exposure to the level required to preserve the wearer’s health. Furthermore, the RPE has to be suitable for the wearer, task and environment, in such a way that the wearer can work freely and without additional risks due to the use of RPE.

[8] EN 529 Respiratory protective devices - Recommendations for selection, use, care and maintenance (Guidance document)

Effective maintenance of RPE is required in order to ensure that the equipment continues to provide the degree of protection for which it was designed. Maintenance includes cleaning, disinfection, examination, repair, testing, and safe storage. Maintenance details are usually provided by the manufacturer. The RPE should be examined before each use, with particular attention being paid to all rubber parts such as face pieces, exhalation valves, breathing tubes, and head harnesses. If the equipment is in a bad condition, it should not be used.

[3] Regulation 2017/745/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1588070668631&uri=CELEX:32017R0745

Standards such as EN 529 Respiratory protective devices - Recommendations for selection, use, care and maintenance (Guidance document) and ISO/TS 16975-1 Respiratory protective devices - Selection, use and maintenance - Part 1: Establishing and implementing a respiratory protective device programme offer guidance for selecting adequate and suitable RPE.

The so-called "tight fitting" RPE should not be used by people whose beard, sideburns or scars, etc. make it impossible to adjust the facial part correctly because this could hinder the proper functioning of any breathing valves.

The atmosphere of workplaces may contain solid and liquid particles, including nanoparticles, i.e., mists, fibres, radioactive particles, or also vapours, gases and micro-organisms which present serious risks to health. If workers are exposed to harmful levels of hazardous substances in workplace air, their health is at risk, either in the short or long term. Moreover, work activities may be carried out in confined spaces or areas with low oxygen levels (oxygen deficiency, less than 19% by volume). To protect the workers against these health risks employers must carry out a and take appropriate prevention measures. RPE should only be used where adequate control of exposure cannot be achieved by other means. RPE is the last resort following the hierarchy of control measures. Measures to eliminate the hazard at source should always be preferred in order to protect everyone in the workplace. Such measures include e.g. elimination or substitution of hazardous material or a change in the process. Engineering controls and organisational measures (e.g. limiting the exposure time) also have to be considered and implemented if possible. However, if these prevention measures are not efficient or not sufficient for reducing the risks then suitable respiratory protection equipment may be needed. Examples of such hazardous work situations include maintenance activities (e.g. tank cleaning, sludge removal, freezer room repairs), due to the possibility of a sudden release of highly concentrated chemical substances (e.g. organic solvent vapours, trapped process inorganic gases, refrigerant vapours).

RPE should be considered as a last resort for preventing and/or controlling exposure to hazardous substances in the air. RPE should only be used after all other reasonably practicable control measures have been taken. Eliminating or reducing risks at the source and/or engineering controls are more effective because RPE only protects individual workers and is prone to failure or misuse, such as wearing the wrong RPE for the job. Furthermore, workers wearing RPE may get a false sense of security when using it.

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is a particular type of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), used to protect the individual wearer against inhalation of hazardous substances in the workplace air. This article provides information on definitions, technical requirements and rules of proper selection of various types of respiratory protection equipment i.e. filters, filtering half masks, face pieces, breathing apparatus and filtering escape devices for protection against particles (including nanoparticles), gases, vapours and oxygen deficiency.

Breathing apparatuses deliver breathable air from an independent source (compressed air vessels, compressed line) to the user. Breathing apparatuses are designed for use in atmospheres with oxygen deficiency (where the concentration of oxygen is below 19%).

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Both types of demand-type compressed air equipment are normally used with a full-face mask, but it is possible to use half masks. An example of the device is shown in the picture.

A RPE is basically designed for personal use. If circumstances arise requiring it to be used by more than one person, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure health or hygiene for the different users. The employer is obliged to ensure washing, maintenance, repair or decontaminating of the RPE free of charge. [10]

There are two general types of respiratory protective equipment (RPE), based on the principle by which protection is provided to the user. The two types are the following:

RPE protects the individual wearer against inhalation of hazardous substances and particles in the workplace air. RPE should be considered as a last resort and only be used after all other reasonably practicable control measures have been taken. Different types of RPE are available and the selection of the most suitable RPE for should be based on a risk assessment and take into account aspects such as the duration of the task and specific wearer requirements.

Respiratory protectionN95

Multi-type gas filters - filters which are a combination of two or more of the above listed types, excluding SX, and which meet the requirements of each type separately.

The particle filters should conform to the EN 149:2001 standard and are classified as P1, P2 and P3 in order of increasing filtration efficiency. There are two types of these respirators i.e. intended to be used for a maximum of a single shift (marked with the letters NR – not reusable), and intended to be used for more than a single shift (marked with the letter R – reusable).

To ensure that the RPE are compliant with the essential health and safety requirements a manufacturer can use harmonised European standards. These standards contain technical specifications, test methods and define performance levels, etc. [4]. The table below provides an overview of the standards.

Respirators are designed to filter out or clean contaminated air from the workplace atmosphere before it is inhaled by the respirator wearer. Respirators are not designed to be used in atmospheres with oxygen deficiency (concentration of oxygen is below 19%) or where the concentration of unknown contaminants has not been evaluated.

[6] HSE, Respiratory protective equipment at work, A practical guide, 2013. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg53.htm

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It is unacceptable that RPE and its elements be stored in places that may be directly exposed to sunlight or less than 1m from heating devices. RPE should be transported in conditions ensuring protection from damage and atmospheric influences. Time of storing should be no longer than the one specified by the producer as using expired or damaged filter or gas-filters, and also face pieces, may lead to poisoning. In case of reusable filters, it is necessary to secure it by placing RPE in an individual airtight container directly after leaving the contaminated area.

Full-face masks: reusable devices that cover the eyes, nose, mouth and chin, and seals against the face of the wearer. It is held in place (on the head) with adjustable straps. Air is drawn into the mask either through a relevant filter(s) by the wearer’s lung force, or may be supplied by a powered unit or suitable breathing apparatus attached to the mask. The exhaled air passes through an exhalation valve(s). Most masks have an inner half mask. Some devices may be equipped with a speech diaphragm to improve the quality and clarity of voice communication. The visor provides protection against particulates and gases.

A facepiece (quarter, half and full face mask and filtering half mask) will not provide optimum performance if it leaks. The facepiece provided with a respiratory protective device should fit the wearer properly. However not all wearers are the same. Differences in facial anthropometric dimensions exist between males and females and also racial/ethnic groups[9]. Standard ISO/TS 16976-2 Respiratory protective devices - Human factors - Part 2: Anthropometrics contains anthropometric measurement methods and anthropometric data for head, face, and neck dimensions that manufacturers can take into account when designing RPE. In the workplace fit tests can further ensure a good fit of the mask to the individual.

There is a basic subdivision of the types of equipment depending on how the air is used when the compressed air reaches the wearer:

Self-contained breathing apparatuses for escape purposes are available in compressed-air, compressed oxygen and chemical oxygen types and are intended to be used for a short-duration in case of an emergency escape from hazardous areas. Escape devices should be used for escape purposes only, and should not be used for normal working or entry to hazardous areas.

There are also valved filtering half masks to protect against gases or vapours and particles. These devices are “disposable" respirators essentially for use against gases and vapours, but with optional protection against particles. Any gas/vapour filters form an inseparable part of the device; any particle filters maybe integral or separable. Complete devices should conform with the EN 405:2001+A1:2009 standard and are designated according to the filter type used and have the prefix FF. The devices must have both inhalation and exhalation valves. Examples of gas/vapour and combined filters are: FFA1, FFB2P3, FFK1P2. There are also two types of these respirators i.e. those intended to be used for a maximum of a single shift (marked with the letters NR – not reusable), and those intended to be used for more than a single shift (marked with the letter R – reusable).

[1] Directive 89/656/EEC - use of personal protective equipment of 30 November 1989 on the minimum health and safety requirements for the use by workers of personal protective equipment at the workplace. Available at: [1]

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RPE should not be stored together with toxic substances or substances that may negatively influence materials from which it is produced, or such materials that give off unpleasant smells.

As explained above, all RPE placed on the EU market must meet the requirements specified in Regulation 2016/425/EU on PPE [2]. This regulation divides PPE into three categories according to the level of risk. RPE belong to Category III that includes PPE that protect against risks that may cause very serious consequences such as death or irreversible damage to health. To each of these categories different conformity assessment procedures apply. RPE fall into category III PPE. This means that the conformity assessment procedure includes an EU type-examination and product/quality checks by a notified body.

EU-OSHA – European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Risk assessment, the key to healthy workplaces, Factsheet. Available at: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/factsheet-81-risk-assessment-key-healthy-workplaces/view

The respirators may incorporate inhalation and exhalation valves or exhalation valve(s) only, or have no valves. Where the filtering face piece has no valves, both inhaled and exhaled dangerous substances can pass through the filter material. An example of the filtering face piece is shown in the picture.