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Respiratory Protection
Published in Frank R. Spellman, Kathern Welsh, Safe Work Practices for Wastewater Treatment Plants, 2018
Frank R. Spellman, Kathern Welsh
If either test shows leakage, then this procedure should be followed:Be sure that the mask is clean. A dirty or deteriorated mask will not seal properly nor will one that has been stored in a distorted position. Proper cleaning and storage procedures must be used.Adjust the head straps to achieve snug, uniform tension on the mask. If only extreme tension on the straps will seal the respirator, report this to the supervisor. A mask with uncomfortably tight straps rapidly becomes obnoxious to the wearer. 29 CFR 1910.134 (g)(1)(A) states: “Personnel with facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function shall not be permitted to wear tight-fitting respirators.” Thus, respirator wearers with beards or sideburns that interfere with the face seal are prohibited from wearing tight-fitting respirators on the job. Dental changes (e.g., loss of teeth, new dentures, braces) may affect respirator fit and may require a new fitting with a different type mask.
Respiratory Protection
Published in Reginald L. Campbell, Roland E. Langford, Terry L. McArthur, Fundamentals of Hazardous Materials Incidents, 2020
Reginald L. Campbell, Roland E. Langford, Terry L. McArthur
It may be necessary when doing the qualitative fit testing to have available a number of masks from various manufacturers and in various sizes. Not everyone’s facial characteristics are the same. Some people may have a large jaw, or nose, or have had a broken nose, etc. You have to adjust the mask to the person. People who have beards or mustaches cannot wear half-faced respirators, and those with beards cannot wear an SCBA. Facial hair will not allow a tight seal around the mask; such a seal is critical when working in an environment where the inhalation of chemicals can be lethal.
Respiratory Protection
Published in John F. Rekus, Complete Confined Spaces Handbook, 2018
Facial deformities such as prominent cheek bones, deep skin creases, scars, severe acne and lack of teeth or dentures can prevent respirators from sealing properly. Facial hair between the wearer’s skin and the sealing surface of a respirator can also be a problem because it prevents a good seal. Consequentiy, tight-fitting facepieces should not be worn by employees with sideburns, beards and moustaches which could interfere with respirators’ sealing edges.
Letter to the editor
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2020
Callan Krevanko, Rebecca Stern, Petros Koutrakis
The surgical N95 (N95) is a specific type of respirator that provides protection against 95% of small test particles 0.3 µm in size (Brown 2019; N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks) 2020). This means that the N95 can protect against aerosolized exposures. While the N95 provides superior protection as compared to surgical masks when fitted properly, it does not entirely eliminate the risk of disease contraction (N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks) 2020). Respirators that are not fitted properly or that are obstructed by facial hair do not provide maximal protection against contamination (N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks) 2020). Neither N95 respirators nor surgical masks are intended for multiple-use (N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks) 2020).
Influence of facial hair length, coarseness, and areal density on seal leakage of a tight-fitting half-face respirator
Published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2018
Evan L. Floyd, J. Blake Henry, David L. Johnson
Research studies on facial hair and face seal leakage of negative-pressure air purifying respirators were mostly conducted more than 20 years ago, with results demonstrating that facial hair can negatively impact the face seal to varying degrees. While the studies did not model the impact of facial hair on leakage, they did identify beard density, texture, and length as potential influences, with considerable variation within and between individual subjects and also across respirator models. Interestingly, multiple studies showed that satisfactory FF could be achieved for some subjects with various degrees of facial hair growth but was largely ignored or under-explored in those studies.