The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 legislates employers must protect employees as much as possible from exposure to potentially harmful substances. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE), containing filters that prevent particles of differing sizes from being inhaled, is a tool used to lower risk. Although RPE should be considered as a last resort in your efforts once all other practical measures have been implemented, it is often a necessary investment.
1. Provide Adequate Protection
The main aim of RPE is to provide adequate protection for the wearer. Any hazardous materials in-use within the workplace will be supplied with a safety data sheet (SDS), which can be used to determine any preventative steps that will reduce risk levels. For anything that may not be categorised as a hazardous material, but remains capable of producing potentially damaging particles, you will need to focus on the type of work being done to understand the risks. The capabilities of the filter(s) within the RPE are crucial to how the respiratory protection performs in stopping hazards from being inhaled. For instance, a respirator fitted with a filter effective against solid or liquid particles, wouldn’t provide any protection where hazardous gases or vapours are present. The assigned protection factor (APF) of each RPE type and class indicates how much protection is offered. It is recommended by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that you should select an APF above the calculated value of the volume of hazardous substance in the air, to ensure protection.
2. Be Suitable For Intended Use
RPE must be suitable for the use in which it’s employed. Activities such as grinding, sanding, cutting, paint spraying, welding, and the use of solvents can produce harmful respiratory hazards that release into the air. Once the form (solid, liquid, gas, or vapour) and concentration/ volume (ppm / mg/ m3) of the respiratory hazard has been identified, you can begin to narrow down the options suitable for you. All RPE also needs to be suitable for the wearer. All tight fitting equipment should be Face Fit Tested to ensure that it fits comfortably to the wearers’ face. Facial hair and accessories such as glasses and piercings should not interfere compromise the sealing ability of masks. Suitability considerations for the wearer’s work rate, wear time, and vision requirements also needs thought. For instance, the HSE recommends that tight fitting respirators are worn only for hourly intervals, and if the work rate of the wearer is high, increased breathing and perspiration could impact their experience. If wear time is required for over an hour continuously, or work rate is medium-to-high, then powered air systems need to be considered.
3. Be of an Approved Type/Standard
RPE available for use in the UK must be manufactured in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (2002), and therefore bear the CE/UKCA mark. This mark signifies that the product has been assessed and found to meet high safety, health, and environmental protection requirements, deeming it fit for the European/UK markets respectively. Only products with these marks have been designed and tested to meet at least the minimum requirements laid-out in law, making them the only choice.
"It Is The Employer’s Responsibility To Arrange Training For RPE Wearers."
4. Be Used Correctly
The RPE provided to staff can only be effective if wearers have the appropriate level of awareness and knowledge to use the equipment correctly. It is the employer’s responsibility to arrange adequate training for RPE wearers, to ensure that employees are sufficiently protected whenever there is a risk of inhalation. Training sessions should not only cover the correct use of equipment, but also why the RPE is necessary, as well as how users should store, clean, maintain and dispose of the equipment.
Be Properly Stored & Maintained
The RPE provided to staff can only be effective if wearers have the appropriate level of awareness and knowledge to use the equipment correctly. It is the employer’s responsibility to arrange adequate training for RPE wearers, to ensure that employees are sufficiently protected whenever there is a risk of inhalation. Training sessions should not only cover the correct use of equipment, but also why the RPE is necessary, as well as how users should store, clean, maintain and dispose of the equipment. HAYLEY DEXIS works in partnership with market leading PPE manufacturers, such as 3M, to provide genuine and quality products for our customers.