Respiratory Protection Selection
Introduction
Certain situations in a work environment open up employees to the possibility of exposure to respiratory hazards. In order for employees to adequately function in these situations, the must be equipped with personal protection equipment such as air-purifying respirators (A.P.R) and supplied-air respirators. Legally, employers are obligated to ensure that employees are provided with the necessary PPE required for safe operation, and supported with the appropriate training. This paper will evaluate some of the situations and identify possible solutions.
One situation involves the sanding of fiberglass materials in an enclosed area. Personnel conducting operations in this area will be exposed to the fiberglass dust particles without the proper precautions creating a hazardous condition. Fiberglass weighing less than 0.05mg can create heavy dust particles hindering breathing. An air-purify respirator utilizing a full-face mask may be employed to mitigate the risk of breathing the dust particles. Fiberglass and silica particles can affect breathing. As noted in the text "Ssilica particles that are inhaled form fibrous scar tissue in the lungs. This scar tissue prevents lungs from correctly expanding and contracting, thus depriving the body of the oxygen it needs" (Johnson, 2013, p 49).