1. Respirators and facepieces help us avoid bodily damage caused by
exposure to hazardous air conditions, chemicals, gases, vapors and dusts.
Breathe Easy!
SELECTING THE
RIGHT RESPIRATOR
www.labsource.com
DUST MASK/FILTERING FACEPIECE
• Entire facepiece contains the filtering medium,
or the filter is an integral part of the facepiece
• Masks protect only against some particulates
and not chemicals, gases or vapors
• Smallest, simplest, lightweight and least
expensive, these are intended for low hazards
• Disposable masks/facepieces require
no maintenance
CHEMICAL CARTRIDGE/GAS
MASK RESPIRATOR
• Filters chemical gases and some particulates
from the air
• Includes a facepiece or mask plus a cartridge
to filter particles
• Use with particulate filters, gas and vapor
cartridges or combination cartridges
• Effective only with the correct cartridge or
filter for the hazard you face
• Half-face respirators cover the lower half of
the face, including nose and mouth
• Full-face respirators cover most of the face,
including the eyes
POWERED AIR-PURIFYING
RESPIRATOR (PAPR)
• A fan blower forces air through the filter to
the wearer
• Require a fully charged battery to work properly
• Effective only with the correct cartridge or filter
for the hazard you face
• Must be equipped with a HEPA filter when
used to protect against infectious diseases
SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING
APPARATUS (SCBA)
• Uses its own air tank and hose to supply clean
air; cartridge not required
• Provides the greatest protection; commonly
used by firefighters
• Protects against high concentrations of
dangerous chemicals
• Equipment is very heavy and proper use requires
special training
A person usually breathes
an average of 13 pints
of air every minute.1
An estimated 5 million
workers are required to wear
respirators in 1.3 million
workplaces in the U.S.2
• RESISTANCE TO OILY MISTS
• N: Not resistant to oil
• R: Oil-resistant for up to 8 hours
• P: Oil-proof
• FILTRATION EFFICIENCY
• Rated 95, 99 or 100 to indicate the percentage of airborne
particles the cartridge is capable of filtering
• PAPR respirators use a HEPA or HE filter, which provides at least
99.7% filtration of particulates
• CARTRIDGE LABEL COLOR CODE
• Black: Approved for use with organic vapors
• White: Approved for use with acid gases
• Yellow: Approved for both organic vapors and acid gases
• Green: Approved for use with ammonia gas
• Magenta: HEPA or P100 filter
Sources:
1) https://pulmonaryhypertensionnews.com/2017/12/20/8-fun-facts-lungs/
2) https://compliance-specialists.com/2015/10/28/preventable-deaths-respirators/
CHOOSE NIOSH CERTIFIED CARTRIDGES AND FILTERS
Always look for products that are certified by the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH cartridges are categorized by:
