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General
It is a well-known fact that the European
Union (EU) is the highest-level legislative
body in the area of occupational safety
and health. The EU issues directives which
are then transposed into national law. The
European Council Directive of 30 November
1989 on the minimum health and safety
requirements for the use by workers of
personal protective equipment at the workplace
(89/656/EC) was transposed into
German law many years ago, the contents
of the Directive having been firmly anchored
in the German Occupational Safety and
Health Act.
As early as 1992, the Technical Committee
(CEN/TC 79 "Respiratory Protective
Devices") compiled on the basis of the a
forementioned Directive its Report CR 529
"Guide to the selection and use of respiratory
protective devices". The report is
targeted at European users of respiratory
protective devices, and provides guideline
information on how to select and use respiratory
protective devices commensurate
with the level of risk. Nonetheless, this
guideline does not release users from their
obligation to precisely determine, analyse
and evaluate the actual conditions prevailing
at the workplace and the protection
requirements, and to select the appropriate
device for these conditions.
Report CR 529 formed the basis for a number
of national regulations within the EU. In
Germany, the regulation was issued by the
professional associations – ZH1/701 "Regulations
for the use of respiratory protective
devices“.
CEN report CR 529 was periodically revised,
regulation ZH1/701 following suit and
being reissued under the name BGR 190.
The contents of this regulation have already
been outlined in a previous edition of the
Dräger Review.
At the time of the revision of CR 529, a
general description of the report was featured
in Dräger Review 85 (April 2000). The
report was intended to be a practical document
which would provide the user with
the information needed to establish and
practice efficient respiratory protection
management. It aimed to explain all relevant
aspects, from risk analysis to cost situation.
Was this goal reached by the current version?
To judge this, we need to take a look
at its contents.
Main focus of the contents
To give the document greater weight, the
revised version will be published as European
Standard EN 529 "Respiratory protective
devices – Recommendations for selection,
use, care and maintenance – Guidance
document“. At the present time, it is undergoing
a formal European vote at CEN in
Brussels. Since a positive outcome is likely,
we will talk hereinafter of the EN 529
standard. The contents of this Standard are
divided into the following main sections:
- Terms and definitions
- Classification
- Programme process
- Risk assessment process
- Criteria for using respiratory
protective devices
- Risk assessment for respiratory protective devices use
- Adequacy and suitability
- Use
- Operating information, instruction
and training
- Maintenance
- Storage
- Record keeping
- Annexes A to F
The annexes deal with the following
topics:
- Annex A: Types and components of respiratory protective devices
- Annex B: Atmospheres immediately dangerous to life or health
- Annex C: Protection factors
- Annex D: Suitability factors
- Annex E: Assessing the fit of tight fitting facepieces
- Annex E: Assessing the fit of tight fitting facepieces
- Annex F: Respiratory protection passport
These main sections are preceded by a
foreword, a brief introduction, information
about the scope, and normative references.
The Standard ends with a short bibliography.
The introduction contains a reference
to the hazard potential of the contaminants
in the ambient atmosphere, and the order
of priority of protective measures. Respiratory protective devices are only to be
used in situations where other protective
measures are not effective. Respiratory protective
devices must be carefully selected,
and adapted to the wearer in line with the
task to performed, the ambient atmosphere,
and the risk situation. All associated problems
should be avoided by introducing
suitable respiratory protective device programme.
The Scope section states that
EN 529 is intended as a practical guideline
to the creation and implementation of a
suitable respiratory protective device programme.
It is designed to form the Europewide
basis for the selection, use, care
and maintenance of respiratory protective
devices.
The section "Normative References" lists
currently relevant European standards relating
to respiratory protection. The list starts
with EN 132 "Respiratory protective devices
– Definitions of terms and pictograms“
ends with EN 14387 "Respiratory protective
devices – Gas filter(s) and combined
filter(s) – Requirements, testing, marking“.
In addition to the terms mentioned in EN
132 and EN 134 "Respiratory protective
devices – Nomenclature of components",
EN 529 contains a further 12. These range
from the definition of an "atmosphere posing
a direct threat to life or health" to an
explanation of the term "work intensity".
The wide range of different respiratory
protective devices is classified into two
main types:
– Filtering devices: these clean the ambient
air to be inhaled using filters which
remove any airborne contaminants.
– Breathing apparatus: these supply the
device wearer with breathing air or gas
(e.g. oxygen) from a non-contaminated
source.
Annex A of EN 529 contains a detailed
description of the respiratory protective
devices. The aforementioned device types
comprise two main components: a facepiece
with filter(s) or with a device providing
a supply of clean breathing air or gas.
Facepieces can be any of the following:
– tightly fitting facepieces such as half and
full face masks,
– non-tightly fitting facepieces such as
hoods and helmets. These are only suitable
for respiratory protective devices
with obligatory breathing air/gas supply,
e.g. power-assisted filtering devices.
– Mouthpieces with nose clip. These are
preferably to be used for self-rescuers.
Filters should be selected to match the
type and concentration of the contaminant.
The respiratory protective device
wearer should be supplied with pure
breathing air/gas from a container (e.g.
O2 generator) or a source such as a
compressed air line. The supply type is
explained in the device description in
Annex A.
The legal regulations require employers and
the self-employed to define and document
a suitable policy for designing a respiratory
protective device programme. This encompasses
the correct selection, maintenance
and issue of equipment, as well as monitoring
of the correct use of the respiratory
protective devices. These goals can be
achieved by
- an effective organization involving persons with the relevant expert knowledge,
- making available the necessary resources,
- periodically reviewing the programme,
- giving all persons involved in the programme suitable instruction,
- constantly monitoring use of the equipment and checking the effectiveness of the respiratory protective device
programme.
It goes without saying that employees likewise
have obligations to meet. If they are
involved in the respiratory protective device
programme, they must act in accordance
with the applicable procedures and systems,
and take responsibility for the duties
assigned to them. The devices must be
worn, used in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions, and checked prior
to use. In accordance with the information
given during the employer's instruction, any
problems during wearing must be reported.
In order to be able to perform all the duties
associated with the respiratory protective
devices, experts should work together with
the employer to ensure that they are provided
with the necessary knowledge, experience
and instruction.
Manufacturers of respiratory protective devices
are responsible for CE marking their
devices. The information supplied with the
devices must be correct, conform to the latest
state of knowledge, and contain details
of the correct device selection by the employer/
user. Responsibility for the appropriate
selection and use of suitable respiratory
protective devices lies with the
employer. Before resorting to the use of respiratory
protective devices, the exposure to
hazardous substances at the workplace
should be eliminated or, if this is not possible,
minimized by undertaking suitable measures.
Before initiating such measures, a
risk assessment should be carried out to
establish the type and extent of the dangers,
the work environment, the work duties
to be performed and the persons performing
them, the preventive measures taken
and the consequences of failure of the protective
measures. If protective measures are
required, the steps listed in Table 1 of EN
529 should be followed – these range from
the "use of alternative substances which are
less hazardous" to the "use of appropriate
and suitable personal protective equipment,
including respiratory protective devices".
These steps should be supported by organizational
and monitoring systems and the
hazard risk should be periodically reviewed.
The following conditions need to be met to
necessitate the use of respiratory protective
devices:
- Although other protective measures are in force, there is still a risk of hazardous
substances being inhaled.
- The limit values for hazardous substances have been exceeded and the implementation
of protective measures is imminent.
- Emergency work can be undertaken even without protective measures being
in force.
- There is no point in implementing protective measures because the hazardous
substances occur only rarely and for brief
periods.
- Respiratory protective devices are used in the case of work emergencies by instructed persons for the purposes of self-rescue.
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However, despite control measures being
in force, situations can occur which necessitate
the use of respiratory protective
devices as an additional form of protection.
Respiratory protective devices should only
be used if a functional respiratory protective
device programme is in place which covers
the following aspects:
- recognition and identification of hazards,
- risk assessment to meet legal requirements,
- instruction of all persons involved in the programme,
- device maintenance in accordance with manufacturer's instructions,
- documentation of all relevant programme ponts,
- programme auditing and management systems.
As regards the risk assessment, the following
factors should be given consideration:
- Is sufficient oxygen available during the work?
- Which hazardous substances occur and what are their physical and chemical
characteristics?
- Which form do the hazardous substances occur in, e.g. dust or gas, and what
effects do they have on the human body?
- Which maximum concentrations, realistic workplace limit values and other hazards,
e.g. fire, can be expected?
The careful evaluation of the above questions
ensures the correct selection and
use of respiratory protective devices. A respiratory
protective device is suitable for use
at a workplace if it is able to reduce the
contaminant concentration to non-harmful
levels.
If work has to be performed in atmospheres
which pose a direct threat to life or health,
breathing apparatus should be used – preferably
with a positive pressure design and
equipped with a self-rescuer. In such cases
it should be borne in mind that the protection
factors (tight fit of facepiece, e.g. full
face mask) which the respiratory protective
device is able to provide result in the
necessary level of protection.
A respiratory protective device is suitable
for use if it
- provides protection for the entire duration of the work,
- is CE marked and appropriate,
- is compatible with the environment, the wearer and the other personal protective
equipment being used, and is in a fully
functional condition,
- is able to withstand the physical, chemical and mechanical ambient conditions,
- is ergonomic in design, offers good visibility, freedom of movement and communication
and poses little strain on the user,
- does not have a negative impact on the wearer's physical fitness, facial contours,
physique or other physical characteristics.
If all these factors are taken into account
and fulfilled, there is no reason not to use
the device. It should be used in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions for use,
and should not be modified in any way.
Immediately prior to use, the device wearer
should check
- the condition of any sensitive parts, e.g. the straps,
- the suitability of the filter (in filtering devices) and its connection to the
facepiece,
- the supply of breathing gas and the leak tightness of the facepiece.
Optimum use and handling of the respiratory
protective device by device wearers
will only be possible if they receive the
necessary information, instruction and practice
from their employers. During instruction,
all relevant information should be provided,
e.g.
- reference to the hazards the respiratory protective device affords protection
against and their effects on health,
- why and when should the device be used?
- scope of responsibility of the device wearer,
- action to be taken in the event of device errors,
- device function, limits to use, recognition of defects, inspections and checks,
- donning of device, leak tightness testing, emergency measures,
- removal of device, cleaning and disinfection, maintenance and proper storage,
- reporting.
After instruction has been given, it makes
sense to perform practical exercises on
and with the device for the purposes of
familiarizing the wearer with the equipment.
Yearly refresher instruction courses are
also essential.
Supervisory staff should likewise receive
instruction so as to be able to monitor use
of the equipment and all activities connected
with the respiratory protective device
programme and, if necessary, initiate the
necessary measures.
A respiratory protective device can only
function properly if it is maintained by experts
in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions. This includes, among other
things, cleaning and disinfection, troubleshooting,
replacement of components, performance
checks and proper storage.
To maintain full proof of their activities,
employers should carefully document all
elements of their respiratory protective
device programme and archive the documents.
Importance of the annexes
Although they are more informative in
nature, the contents of Annexes A to F
are extremely important as regards designing
the respiratory protective device programme.
Annex A contains a detailed description of
the types and components of respiratory
protective devices and provides information
about particular features, properties, areas
of application etc. Interested readers will
find information about
- facepieces
- full face, half and quarter masks
- filters
- particle, gas and combined filters
- filter retention times
- filtering devices
- positive pressure devices, e.g. filtering half masks
- air-supplied devices, e.g. power-assisted filtering devices with full face
mask
- breathing apparatus
- fresh air hose breathing apparatus
- compressed air line breathing apparatus
- independent breathing apparatus, e.g. compressed air breathing apparatus
and closed-circuit breathing apparatus
- ventilated protective suits
- compressed air for respiratory protective devices
- devices for self-rescue, e.g. oxygen self-rescuers and filtering escape
apparatus (filtering self-rescuers).
Annex B deals with atmospheres which
pose an immediately danger to life or
health. These are atmospheres which have
direct and acute effects on health and
make it impossible for a person to escape
to safety unaided in the event of failure of
their respiratory protective device. Such
situations arise in confined spaces where
there is a shortage of oxygen, or when
there is a build-up of hazardous substances.
Annex C provides information about protection
factors, their use and how they are
assigned to the individual respiratory protective
devices. Generally speaking, the
protection factor is associated with the
"leak tight" fit of the facepiece, and in the
European Standards is defined as the maximum
total inward leakage. It is assumed
that the "nominal protection factor" which
is determined in this manner represents a
level of protection which is achieved by all
wearers of respiratory protective equipment.
The nominal protection factor determined in
the laboratory does not take into account
the conditions prevailing at the workplace,
which in most cases reduce the protection
factor. For this reason, reductions need to
be made to the nominal protection factor
to ensure safe use of respiratory protective
devices. These reductions have resulted
in the definition of Assigned Protection
Factors (APF) which vary from country to
country for one and the same respiratory
protective device. The list provided with this
Annex gives an overview of the nominal
and assigned protection factors for the individual
respiratory protective devices.
Annex D provides information on how to
assess the suitability of a respiratory protective
device for coping with the circumstances
of the intended use. The following
points need to be considered in this context:
- Ambient factors such as
- oxygen shortage / surplus,
- substances with a suffocating effect,
- contaminants of all types,
- corrosive and potentially explosive atmospheres,
- extreme climatic conditions.
- Task-/work-related factors which affect the device wearer, for instance:
- work intensity,
- visibility,
- mobility,
- communication possibilities,
- exposure to heat,
- duration of wear and
- tools needed to perform duties.
- Device wearer-related factors such as
- medical aptitude,
- facial characteristics,
- visual aids, e.g. glasses, and
- compatibility with other protective equipment and general items such as
mobile phones, jewellery.
- Legal factors as stipulated by European Directives and Standards, e.g. the use of
CE-marked respiratory protective devices.
Annex E describes how to check that facepieces
fit tightly enough. To avoid damage
to health, the facepiece connected to the
respiratory protective device must fit the
device wearer snugly and it must be possible
to check it for leak tightness. Annex E
explains how to perform this check using
positive and negative pressure. Generally
speaking, this involves covering over the
breathing air inlet/outlet of the facepiece
and using the power of the lungs to generate
a positive or negative pressure which,
assuming the facepiece is sufficiently leak
tight, will remain constant for a short period
of time.
Qualitative and quantitative methods are
also suitable for checking leak tightness.
The qualitative method primarily uses tasteor
odour-intensive substances which become
noticeable if the facepiece is not
leak tight.
Quantitative methods use gases or aerosols,
particle counting or pressure techniques to
test for leak tightness. Such methods are
not suitable for use with all facepieces. Although
they are a good way to determine
protection factors, they are of hardly any
use when it comes to practical applications.
Annex F describes the contents of a respiratory
protection passport which certifies
that the holder – the user of the respiratory
protective device – has knowledge of
how to use and maintain the equipment
correctly.
Dr Adalbert Pasternack |
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Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA |
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Revalstrasse 1 |
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23560 Luebeck, Germany |
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Tel +49 451 882 0
Fax +49 451 882 2080
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