Fundamentals of Respiratory Protection

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Breathing Basics Respiratory Training Respiratory Training Breathing Basics

Understanding Breathing Air Systems Elements of a Type-C / CE


To understand breathing air you must first understand the various types of NIOSH Breathing Air System
approved respirators available to meet the respiratory hazard. Note: Type-C / CE is a NIOSH designation for an air
supplied breathing air respirator system. All airline
All respirators are classified as either Negative Pressure or Positive Pressure Respirators. respirators are Type-C or Type-CE. CE designates
an airline respirator approved for abrasive blasting.

Negative Pressure Disposable Mask Respirator A Type-C system consists of the following components:
Compressed Air Source: Filtration Air Distribution Respirator
The respirator wearer must inhale through the mask. Approved for dusts, mists, vapors and fumes. Electric / Gas / Diesel Consists of: Air Pressure Regulator, From the Point-Of-
Grade-D Breathing Air
Compressor or with Carbon Monoxide Pressure Gauge, Safety Relief Valve, Attachment (POA), Maximum
Not approved for IDLH use. (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) Compressed Air Cylinder Monitoring (Portable and Approved Respirator Couplings. 300 Feet of NIOSH Approved
or Fixed System) This assembly is what is called the Breathing Air Hose with
Point-of-Attachment (POA) Approved Couplings

Negative Pressure Disposable Cartridge Respirator


This style of Respirator has replaceable cartridges or filters and comes in half mask or full face.
OR
The respirator wearer must inhale through the filter cartridges.
Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) are a type of cartridge filtering respirator with a battery
powered blower. They are approved for use where a filter cartridge is approved for the contaminant.
Note: Wearers must be fit tested to assure a proper face seal is achieved.

Not approved for IDLH use


Cylinder Air No filtration required
Must Be Grade-E for Grade-E cylinder air
Positive Pressure (Type-C) Airline Respirator - Constant Flow Hood Style Air Quality
All constant flow respirators supply air continuously to maintain
positive pressure inside the face piece or hood.
All airline respirators are classified by NIOSH as Type-C or Type-CE (approved for sandblasting). Sizing a Type-C / CE Airline Filtration System
Hood Style airline respirators are required by NIOSH to flow 6-15 cfm air flow per person.
Hoods are available in low pressure style for ambient air pumps, requiring 3-15 psi. Sizing of the filtration system, determining what size Breather Box™
High pressure hoods, 25-110 psi, would require Grade-D breathing air provided by a Breather BoxTM.
or panel to order, is based on the air flow (CFM) and pressure
No fit test is required with a hood style respirator
requirements (PSI) of the respirators being worn and the number
Not approved for IDLH use of workers. Air Consumption (CFM) and Pressure (PSI) ranges for
representative types of respirators are listed below:
Positive Pressure (Type-C) Airline Respirator - Constant Flow Mask
Positive Pressure respirators are available in half mask or full face and are required by NIOSH to Pressure Demand 4 - 15 cfm @ 60 - 120 psi
flow 4-15 cfm per mask. They are available in low pressure style for ambient air pumps, requiring *If a vortex cooling or heating tube
Constant Flow Half/Full Mask 4 - 15 cfm @ 4 - 30 psi
3-15 psi. High pressure style, 25-110 psi, would require Grade-D breathing air provided by a is used by the worker, the total air
Constant Flow Hood (Low Pressure) 6 - 15 cfm @ 3 - 15 psi consumed is calculated by the air
Breather BoxTM. Constant flow respirators provide higher Protection Factors than air-purifying
Constant Flow Hood (High Pressure) 6 - 15 cfm @ 25 - 110 psi consumption of the vortex device.
negative pressure respirators. They are not recommended for use with high pressure bottled
air systems as they consume a lot of air.
Vortex Cooling Tube (Option)* 15 - 25 cfm @ 60 - 110 psi
Once the total number of workers are established and the type of respirator selected, multiply the number of workers by the
Not approved for IDLH use maximum respirator flow rate required per worker, to determine total flow requirements:

Positive Pressure (Type-C) Airline Respirator - Pressure Demand Style Example: 4 workers using 4 hood style respirators
4 x 15 cfm = 60 cfm required
Pressure Demand (PD) respirators supply air “on demand” and maintain a minimum positive
Note: System pressure (PSI) will be determined by the device requiring the highest pressure in the system.
pressure in the face piece at all times and required by NIOSH to flow 4-15cfm to the mask just like a
Filtration recommended: Air Systems’ BB50-CO Breather Box™, 4-workers, with CO monitor (maximum flow capacity of 79 cfm).
constant flow style respirator. Pressure demand respirators provide a higher protection factor and can User must have enough compressor flow (cfm) capacity to supply the above respirators, plus additional air needs placed on the
be used on high pressure cylinder air as well as low pressure filtration systems like a Breather BoxTM. system, i.e. air tools/spray nozzles.
All PD respirators operate between 60-110 psi and require the use of Grade-D breathing air When ordering a Breather Box™, the customer must specify the fittings used on the respirator selected. The Breather Box™
provided by a Breather BoxTM or Grade-E cylinder air. fittings must be the same type as the respirator hose fittings to maintain NIOSH approval on the respirator and hose assembly.
PD’s with a five minute escape cylinder All Air Systems’ filtration products are designed to flow the maximum amount of
can be used in IDLH atmospheres air a worker’s respirator could demand. NEVER undersize a filtration system.

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