Sperian is a leading global supplier of personal protection equipment (PPE) for industrial work environments.
Committed to workplace safety and protection, Sperian Protection offers a wide range of respiratory products designed for worker comfort and ease of use.
Respiratory products include disposable respirators, re-usable respirators, self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), powered air purifying respirators (PAPR) and supplied air respirators (SAR).
Given that there are multiple options available for respirators in the market, it can be difficult to select the right respiratory product to suit specific needs of a company.
Many important factors need to be considered before choosing the most suitable respirator. For instance, the workplace may be exposed to different kinds of harmful substances such as dusts, mists, fumes, gases, vapours or combinations of these emissions.
According to Sperian, choosing the correct respirator is as easy as following 1-2-3-4.
1. Ensure there is sufficient oxygen present in the atmosphere
Oxygen deficiency in the atmosphere is a risk that can happen in confined space work and fire-fighting. If oxygen levels are below 19.5%, the atmosphere is considered to be oxygen-deficient.
SCBA respirators are the most suitable respiratory equipment for oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
2. Determine the physical and chemical properties of the contaminant
This can be ascertained from the most current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the substance concerned, or from any other appropriate reference material.
3. Determine the concentration of the contaminant in the workplace environment
It is important to ascertain the exposure levels of the contaminant in the environment to identify the correct respirator that can perform optimally in specific conditions.
Lower capacity respirators are only designed to work in concentrations up to a certain level.
4. Assess the working conditions and exposure standards of the contaminant
References such as ‘Worksafe Australia Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment’ or ‘OSH Workplace Exposure Standards and Biological Exposure Indices for New Zealand’ can be consulted to know the workplace exposure standards for various contaminants.
This will help companies determine the most suitable respiratory protection for specific contaminant exposure at the workplace.
Sperian Protection also offers the Sperian Respiratory Contaminant Guide that helps in the selection of appropriate respiratory protection for a wide range of contaminants.
A comprehensive list of contaminants, their safe working levels and type of respirator recommended for protection has been provided in the guide.
Additionally, in-depth educational information on various types of Sperian respirators, their operation, filter classifications and fitting instructions is provided.
