Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2021-10-09 Origin: Site
The following knowledge points are listed below
1. What is a Disposable Respirator?
2. Importance of wearing a Disposable Respirator
3. How to choose a Disposable Respirator
More commonly referred to as "Dust Masks", a Disposable Respirator is designed to be worn over the nose and mouth, fitting closely to the wearers face, and held in place by elasticated straps running behind the head. They are mostly cup-shaped.
The purpose of a Disposable Respirator is to protect the wearer from breathing in harmful particles or substances that could be present in any particular working activity. The materials used are specifically to filter the air that the wearer breathes so that only clean air is breathed in and the harmful substances are filtered out, and so protecting the wearer.
When choosing a respirator mask, it's important to know what elements may be present in the working environment as this can determine what type of mask is needed. Some masks can only provide limited levels of protection, while others will protect from many different hazards.
Often the importance of wearing PPE can be emphasised by clear and visible dangers that have immediate consequences. For example, in an environment where there are small fragments of material flying around, most people would naturally want to wear something to protect their eyes and face.
However, when the hazard is related to a respiratory danger, the hazard is not often visible to see and breathing it in may not have any immediate effect – sometimes it even takes years before the consequences are apparent. This can mean people don’t recognise the importance of wearing the correct Disposable Respirator, despite the health impacts being potentially life-changing!
Sometimes the impact will be more short-term and less harmful. For example, an employee could be affected by a short-term illness. Illness can lead to downtime in the workplace and can lead to direct repercussions on employers financially and reputation-wise. If an employer is found to have not provided satisfactory PPE, Disposable Respirator, or did not provide suitable training then they are at risk of facing legal repercussions or fines from employees and court cases should an incident occur.
Not all respirators or masks are the same, there are different types to choose from and the most important consideration is the protection rating of the mask. These Disposable Respirator rating systems are known as FFP ratings. To learn more about FFP ratings, please see our complete guide on the subject.
Dust Masks should be specified based on the hazards of the workplace. Most Dust Masks only achieve a certain level of protection and do not protect against all potential respiratory hazards.RPE's FFP rating indicates what a piece of respiratory protective equipment can and cannot protect you from. When choosing a Disposable Respirator, you should evaluate the FFP rating you need.
Most Dust Masks are also disposable and should only be worn throughout the workday and then disposed of, as the material will be contaminated and unsuitable for reuse.