Determination of program protection factors for half-mask respirators used at a mineral sands separation plant

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298669291360418· OSTI ID:6962076

Hewson, G S; Ralph, M I ^[1]

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1. Department of Mines, East Perth (Australia)

A study was conducted at a mineral sands separation plant to evaluate the workplace performance of half-mask filter cartridge respirators. Inhalation exposure was estimated by measuring the dust and radioactivity concentration inside the respirator while it was worn or hanging around the worker's neck. The program protection factor was determined by simultaneously measuring inside-mask and ambient (outside-mask) concentrations. A total of 27 tests were conducted, covering three brands of half-mask respirators; facial hair on test subjects ranged from clean-shaven to bearded. Program protection factors varied from 1.8 to 13 for dust exposure and 2.5 to 21 for radioactivity exposure. The geometric mean program protection factor over all tests was 5.1 (geometric standard deviation [GSD] = 1.7) for dust exposure and 7.5 (GSD = 1.7) for radioactivity exposure. A minimum program protection factor of 3.5 could be applied to ambient airborne concentration data to obtain a conservative, but more realistic, estimate of inhalation exposure on a worker category basis.

• OSTI ID: 6962076
• Journal Information: American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal; (United States), Journal Name: American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal; (United States) Vol. 53:11; ISSN 0002-8894; ISSN AIHAAP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

054000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AIR POLLUTION
DUSTS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INHALATION
INTAKE
MINING
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PERFORMANCE
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
RADIOACTIVITY
RESPIRATORS
SAFETY
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS