Safety in the Plant
When it comes to plant safety, personal protective equipment is an essential feature. Crucial among such equipment, reports Sean Ottewell, is the reusable respirator.
Lorsqu’il s’agit de la sécurité de l’usine, les équipements de sécurité individuels sont un facteur essentiel. D’après Sean Ottewell, parmi ces équipements de sécurité le masque filtrant réutilisable est d’une importance cruciale.
Wenn es um die Sicherheit von Anlagen geht, ist eine persönliche Schutzausrüstung unabdingbar. Wichtig bei einer solchen Ausrüstung, so Sean Ottewell in seinem Bericht, ist das wiederverwendbare Atemschutzgerät.
Personal protection equipment for plant safety
T
Fig. 1. The SR 90-3 half mask comes with improved comfort and new exhalation valves which ensure very low exhalation resistance.
ighter regulations and an increased focus on safety mean that reusable respirators are becoming even more common around the plant. As a result, 3M has issued a guide which shows
how to get the best out of them. According to the company, modern products are highly versatile and can be fitted with a variety of filters which reduce the wearer’s exposure to gases, vapours and particulates, depending on the filter used.
Checks, care and maintenance The company says: “However, respirators will only offer the wearer effective protection, with product working life maximised, if pre-use and post-use checks, care and maintenance, and replacement of consumable parts are carried out at the right times and in the correct manner. Appropriate storage for any periods when products are not in use is also crucial.” Unlike single-use respirators, which can usually be assumed to be intact and ready for use on removal
from their packaging, a series of checks should be made by the user before they wear a previously used reusable respirator. To begin with, says 3M, the face piece should
be checked for cracks, tears and dirt, while the inhalation valve may also harbour cracks and tears. While washing may be adequate to remove dirt, it goes without saying that any respirator which has any cracks or tears is likely to offer significantly reduced protection, potentially exposing the wearer to hazardous levels of gas or particulates, and should not be used. The next step is to check that the head straps are
intact and have elasticity. Respirators whose straps have lost their elasticity are unlikely to offer a snug enough fit around the user’s face, potentially leaving gaps through which harmful gases and particulates can pass. The user should also check that all gaskets
are present and then remove the exhalation valve cover to examine the exhalation valve and seat for dirt, cracking or tearing. Once again, any product
28
www.engineerlive.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36