What is Respiratory PPE and when should you use it?

Respiratory protective equipment, often referred to as Respiratory PPE is worn when an individual is working in an environment where they are exposed to hazardous substances in the air.  Choosing the right Respiratory PPE for a particular working environment, and ensuring employees are using it properly is essential to their safety.

If there is a respiratory hazard in your workplace your employer should:

• Supply employees with respiratory protective equipment free of charge
• Determine the right type of respiratory protective equipment, based on the nature of the hazard
• Organise staff training to ensure the RPE is used correctly

Half Mask Respirators

A half mask respirator covers the nose and mouth of the wearer and is held in place using adjustable straps. As the wearer breathes, air travels through the filters and is cleaned before being inhaled. At SafetyLiftinGear, we supply A1 Cartridges to filter out organic vapour and gases. We also supply the Half Mask Respirator itself, which has been carefully designed to ensure a secure and comfortable fit when worn.

Dust Masks

SafetyLiftinGear stocks a range of Dust Masks, including:

• FFP1 Moulded Safety Masks to protect against non-toxic solids or liquids
• FFP2 Moulded Safety Masks to protect against low to average toxic solids, liquids or smoke
• FFP3 Moulded Safety Masks to  provide suitable protection against high toxicity harmful solids, aerosols and liquids

Please ensure that you read the details of these products carefully before purchasing to ensure you are choosing the right mask for the job.

Emergency Escape Breathing Apparatus

Emergency escape breathing apparatus is a self-contained breathing system that incorporates a half mask, a hood, and a cylinder of air that can be used in extreme situations where an individual requires breathable air immediately. For example, in a confined space or during a fire. This equipment should only be used in emergencies – the cylinder will provide oxygen for approximately 10 minutes.

We hope that this makes choosing the right respiratory PPE for your workplace an easier task. If you’d like to look at our entire range of PPE and Workwear, click here.