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Performance Evaluation of DM and DFM Filter Respirators—WORKING DRAFT 9.15.92
Table M—Simplified Elements of Respirator Selection and Usage Illustrating the Required Application of APFs for Air-Purifying Masks.
| 1—Identify intended respirator uses. Identify physical nature and toxicity of contaminant(s). |
| 2—Measure concentration levels of contaminant(s) where worker exposures can occur. Compute the concentration level to OSHA PEL ratio (i.e., concentration level as a multiple of applicable PEL). |
| 2—Select test environment. |
| 3—Identify prospective respirator wearers in a given workplace. |
| 4—Using APF tables and other necessary information from a Respirator Decision Logic, select respirator(s) that can provide assured protection as required to exposed workers. Selected respirator must have an APF larger than PEL multiple from Step 2 above. |
| 5—Using the selected respirator(s) and QLFT or QNFT, fit-test screen the adequacy of the face seal(s) on each prospective wearer. This is to identify those respirator facepieces that cannot achieve the class APF for selected device(s) on the prospective wearers. No filter testing is performed, since it is assumed that the filters that will actually be worn on the facepieces have essentially zero leakage. |
| 6—Provide and assign a respirator to those workers that passed the fit-test screening. |
| 7—Each wearer must perform a point-of-use "fit check" before each use of their assigned respirator. This is done to identify those wearers with inadequate protection due to point-of-use factors such as poorly-fitted or improperly adjusted facepieces or changes in the user's skin that are preventing a proper fit (e.g, beard stubble). |
| 8—Properly wear the respirator in the hazardous environment. For tight-fitting masks, do not wear a respirator when conditions prevent a proper seal of the facepiece to the wearers skin. For respirator-related causes, respirator users should leave a hazardous area (e.g., failure of the mask to provide adequate protection, respirator malfunction, detection of leakage of air contaminant into the respirator). |
