Respiratory Protection

The best method of controlling exposures to hazardous airborne substances is to prevent the air from becoming contaminated in the first place. This should be accomplished as much as possible by engineering controls, such as local exhaust ventilation. But, when airborne exposures cannot be controlled, or while controls are being installed, appropriate
respirators may be used.
Respirators are a type of personal protective equipment used to provide protection against worker exposure to airborne substances and allow workers to breathe safely in those environments. It’s an employer’s responsibility to determine if the work their employees do should be performed while wearing a respirator. The employer should provide their workers with the right respirator for their job. It should be made clear to workers that they should not use any other respiratory protective device at work without the full understanding and agreement of their employer. Before a worker may use a respirator, he/she must pass a medical evaluation, be trained in the use, maintenance, inspection, and care of the respirator, and be fit-tested.
There are three basic types of respirators: air-purifying respirator, supplied-air respirator, and self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). The proper selection and use of respiratory protection is essential to controlling airborne exposures with respirators. A written respiratory protection program must be established and implemented.
Prior to the use of respiratory protection, selection of the proper type of respirator by the employer should be based on the following:
• Identify the substance or substances againstwhich protection is necessary.
• Determine the hazards of each substance.
• Evaluate the conditions of exposure and the air concentrations of the substances.
• Verify that there is adequate oxygen in the air.
• Provide each employee who will be wearing a respirator with a medical evaluation prior to using a respirator.
• Fit the respirator carefully and instruct the worker in its use.
• Know the limitations of the respiratory protective device.
State Fund has a staff of Industrial Hygienists available to its insured for respirator consultation and recommendation.
Respiratory Protection
If you receive a puncture or cut on the job, notify your supervisor immediately. If you can, gently wash the area with soap and water. To stop bleeding, apply gentle pressure to the wound with clean gauze, cotton, or other absorbent material. When bleeding has stopped, apply an antibacterial ointment and a clean dressing to the wound. If you cannot stop the bleeding, if the wound is very large, or if you are impaled with an object, seek medical attention. Watch the wound for signs of infection including fever, severe pain, and redness beyond the wound edge, swelling, warmth, or pus drainage. Get medical attention immediately, if you suspect an infection.
If the wound was caused by a nail or other sharp object, you may be exposed to the bacteria that cause tetanus. Consider getting regular boosters for tetanus every five to ten years. Consider a Hepatitis B vaccination, if you may be exposed to needlesticks and if the needlestick was potentially exposed to bloodborne pathogens, seek medical testing