dust and the selection and use of rpe

Health and Safety Executive

© Crown Copyright, HSE 2016 HSL: HSE’s Health and Safety Laboratory

Dust and the selection and use of RPE

6 July 2016

Nick Baxter with a guest appearance from FFRED

HSL: HSE’s Health and Safety Laboratory © Crown Copyright, HSE 2016 © Crown Copyright, HSE 2016

HSL is the commercial arm of the Health and Safety Executive, HSE. Our commercial work delivers high quality science to meet the needs of industry and government in the UK and overseas. Our commercial customers can commission services and research using our state-of-the- art scientific laboratory in Buxton, as well as analytical expertise from other parts of HSE’s science base.

HSL: HSE’s Health and Safety Laboratory © Crown Copyright, HSE 2016

• ~£40M turnover

• 550 acres (220 hectares)• Widest science base of any

equivalent European laboratory• Technical disciplines:

Fire & explosion Process safety & risk assessment Mathematical sciences Mechanical engineering & materials Electrical & control engineering

HSL: the dimensions

Analytical chemistry Occupational hygiene Medicine Human factors &

psychology Personal safety


Overview of PPE activities

• Input to HSE guidance & advice• Incident investigations• Research and testing:

– Measuring PPE performance• Laboratory, simulated and workplace conditions

– Assessing PPE impact on wearer

• PPE training• Technical input to PPE Standards


Training at HSL

• Over 50 courses• Health and wellbeing, human factors, major

hazards and process safety

• PPE and RPE essentials• Knowledge, understanding, legal

requirements, selection, PPE/RPE programme

• RPE fit testing• Introduction, advanced, technical and practical

skills


What types of dust are most hazardous?

• Some dusts are more harmful than others• Can develop health problems and

occupational disease

– Asbestos– Flour– Grain– Wood– Silica


Respirable crystalline silica (RCS)

• Exposure to RCS occurs in many industries such as

– Construction and demolition– Quarrying– Foundries– Concrete product manufacturing– Grit and abrasive blasting


What is silica dust

Approximate crystalline silica content of different materialsSandstone 70-90%

Concrete, mortar 25-70%

Tile 30-45%

Granite 20-45%

Slate 20-40%

Brick Up to 30%

Limestone 2%

Marble 2%


How can RCS harm your health?

• Silicosis– Irreversible lung disease– Difficulty breathing

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)– Chronic bronchitis, emphysema with coughing and

phlegm– Breathlessness, chest tightness

• Lung cancer– Silicosis increases the risk


Respiratory problems

• Exacerbations of underlying lung disease

• Irritant bronchitis

• Occupational asthma and rhinitis• Extrinsic allergic alveolitis

• COPD

• Pneumoconiosis (silicosos, mixed dust siderosis)

• Lung cancer

Weeks

Months

Years

Decades


Should your employer protect you?

• Employers must comply with COSHH Regs 2002– Assess the risks– Prevent or control exposures– Substitute– Communicate risks– Records


Regulations specific to RPE

• Be adequate and provide the wearer with effective protection

• Be suitable for the intended use• Be ‘CE’ marked• Be selected, used and maintained by trained

people• Be correctly stored

The law says that RPE used at work must:


Adequate RPE

• RPE that is right for the hazard and reduces exposure to the level required to protect the wearer’s health– WEL not exceeded– Asthmagen or carcinogen ALARP

• If it can provide the necessary level of protection against the hazard so as to comply with the law


Adequate RPE for Stone cutting?


Suitable RPE

• RPE that is right for the wearer, task and environment, such that the wearer can work freely and without additional risks due to the RPE

• Considers: – Wearer

• Fit testing, vision, breathing resistance– Work-task

• Work-rate, vision requirements, other PPE– Work environment

• Communication, temperature, space to move– Minimum user impediment

• Weight, heat burden, restricted mobility– No additional risks

• e.g. trailing hoses, masking of alarms


Suitable RPE for stone cutting?


‘CE’ - mark“Product” Directive designed to eliminate barriers to trade within Europe, while safeguarding health and safety

Identifier of Notified Body responsible for ongoing quality of product (Cat III only)

PPE satisfies the Basic Health and Safety Requirementsof the Directive

European Mark ofConformity


RPE – Use

• Use of control measures• COSHH Reg 8/CAR Reg 12/IRR Reg 8/PPE@W Reg 9/10/11

• Employer: Ensure correct use– Training– Compatibility of PPE– Observation/supervision– Remedial actions

• Employee: Correctly use the RPE– As trained/intended– Return & stored properly– Report defects


RPE – Use


RPE – Maintenance

• Maintenance, examination and testing of control measures

• COSHH Reg 9/CAR Reg 13/IRR Reg 10/PPE@W Reg 7

• Employer– Maintained in an efficient state, in good working

order, in good repair and in a clean condition– Examined & tested at suitable intervals– Records

Effectively in a condition where it is capable of providing the level of protection expected


RPE – Maintenance


Adequate Storage?


Fit Testing

Tight-fittingfacepieces


Why do you need to fit test ?

• People have different size and shape of face

• Unlikely that one single design & size of facepiece will fit all users within a workforce

• No respirator is 100% leak proof

!! poor fit is a major contributor to reduced protection


Aims of fit testing

• To match the facepiece to the wearer

• By selecting the right size and model for the wearer– helps to achieve a good fit – helps to select a comfortable mask

• Leads to enhanced protection hence reduced ill healthIn co

mpliance with the law


When to fit test ?

• Initial selection of RPE• Facepiece not tested previously• RPE change• Facial characteristics change• H&S policy requires it


Fit Testing Methods

HSE 282/28 – validated methods

Two basic types:• Qualitative - provides a simple pass/fail based on

the wearer’s subjective assessment– wearer decides whether it fits or not based on

taste/smell– an assumed fit factor of 100 is applied to a pass

• Quantitative - provides an independent objective measure of the fit of the RPE– a numerical fit factor is generated by the fit testing device


Qualitative Fit TestingBitrex or Saccharine test agent

Head


Quantitative Fit Testing

- employs the ambient air particles as the challenge

- fit factors calculated from the measured particle concentrationTSI PortaCount


Key objectives of the Fit2Fit scheme…

Set minimum standards for fit testing

Increase the quality of fit testing

Provide independent assessment of individual RPD fit testers

To promote competent fit testing

Allow competent fit testers to be identified by employers

A method of assured compliance to the regulations

The Fit2Fit Scheme


HSL Miniature Sampler – under test

• 4.5 g , 15 mm long, omnidirectional inlet

Enabling a better working world


A new miniature sampler – under test

• A solution for workplace in-mask measurement

• Two papers submitted to the Annals of Occupational Hygiene

• NEXT STEP – pilot tests in the workplace


FFRED

FaceFit REspirator Demonstrator


QUESTIONS?

[email protected]

dust and the selection and use of rpe

Engineering