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Respirator Fact Sheet

Wednesday, 12 February 2020 3:27:38 pm Australia/Perth

What You Should Know in Deciding Whether to Buy Escape Hoods, Gas Masks, or Other Respirators for Preparedness at Home and Work

Respiratory protection is effective only if:

  • the correct respirator is used,
  • it’s available when you need it,
  • you know when and how to put it on and take it off, and
  • you have stored it and kept it in working order in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
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Posted in Safety News By WorkSafeGEAR

Key Differences Between Respirators and Masks

Friday, 7 February 2020 10:23:36 am Australia/Perth

Comfort Masks:

  • Are not designed to protect your lungs from airborne hazards.
  • Do not have the word NIOSH and the approval type (i.e. N95/P2) printed on the product.
  • Are not cleared by the FDA for use as a surgical mask.
  • Have not been tested to any government performance standards for filtration.
  • Usually have only 1 head strap.
  • Do not fit tightly to the face - there might be gaps around the edges.

Key Differences Between Respirators and Masks

Video

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Posted in Safety News Products By 3M

3M Ultimate FX Full Facepiece Reusable Respirator FF-400 available in Australia

Monday, 28 October 2019 9:16:45 am Australia/Perth

The ultimate choice in comfortable, durable protection.

The 3M™ Ultimate FX Full Facepiece Respirator FF-400 For the work you do, comfort and durability are everything. With a soft feel to the face, comfortable head cradle, plus reduced heat and moisture buildup, 3M's Ultimate FX Full Facepiece Respirator delivers premium comfort that lasts as long as you do. And it's the only respirator with 3M's unique Scotchgard™ Paint and Stain Protector, which helps keep the lens dirt-, paint- and stain-resistant - not to mention so much easier to clean.

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Posted in Products By 3M Australia

3M Australia Respirator Fit Testing

Tuesday, 26 March 2019 9:02:50 am Australia/Perth

Importance Of Fit

Respirator fit is important because it involves several major issues:

  • Seal.
  • Compatibility.
  • Stability.
  • The Respirator's Seal

    A good fit means the respirator will seal to your skin. A respirator can only work when air passes through the filter. Air will take the path of least resistance, so if the seal isn’t there, the air will go around rather than through the respirator – and therefore lessen the protection.

  • User Seal Check: An Essential Everyday Test

    Employees wearing tight-fitting respiratory protection should perform a seal check each time they put on their respirator. A fit test ensures that the respirator is able to fit and provide a secure seal, but a user seal check ensures that it’s being worn right each time.

    Users can either perform a positive-pressure or negative-pressure seal check:

    • A positive-pressure check means blocking the exhalation valve on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, usually by using your hands, and trying to breathe out. If slight pressure builds up, that means air isn’t leaking around the edges of the respirator.
    • A negative-pressure check involves blocking the intake valves on a half or full facepiece respirator or covering the respirator surface on a filtering facepiece, typically using your hands and trying to breathe in. If no air enters, the seal is tight.

    See the product User Instructions for more details.

  • Compatibility with other PPE

    Safety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, hard hats and coveralls can all vie with a respirator for real estate on a person’s face, head or body. For instance, if a half face respirator doesn’t fit well (especially if it’s too large), it can overlap with glasses. The more that happens, the more fogging can potentially occur on glasses, and the more likely it is that they’ll interfere with the respirator’s seal.

    To catch these problems before they happen on the job any PPE that could interfere with the respirator’s seal to be worn during the fit test.

  • Respirator Stability

    The better a respirator fits, the more stable it’s likely to be on the wearer’s face. Fit testing determines the respirator’s ability to retain its seal when the worker is in motion. That’s why test subjects are told to go through several exercises as part of testing. A respirator that shifts during movement may not be able to retain its seal.

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Posted in Products By 3M Australia

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