Solution Summary: Respiratory Protection with an Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 10
Risks Addressed:
Chronic silica inhalation has been linked to an increased risk for multiple types of cancer, COPD, and silicosis. Welding fumes are known to cause metal fume fever and are also associated with Parkinsonism. Increasingly, nano-enabled construction products are being used in construction that can also expose workers to inhaling engineered nanomaterials when the products are being disturbed, such as concrete roofing tiles that contain nano-size titanium dioxide. Inhalation of ultrafine titanium dioxide particles may increase the risk of workers developing lung cancer and other respiratory diseases (NIOSH, 2011). APRs, when properly used, can effectively reduce the inhalation of particles. APRs do not provide breathing air and must not be used in oxygen-deficient or immediately dangerous to life and health environments, which may include confined spaces.
In a construction setting, workers are most often exposed to nuisance, wood, and silica dusts. Exposure to these can cause pulmonary illnesses, and silica dust exposure can lead to silicosis and death. All construction dust acts as an irritant to nasal, throat, and lung tissues, resulting in reduced respiratory capacity. Chronic exposure leads to a heightened risk for respiratory infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, COPD, and cancer. With the increasing use of nano-enabled construction materials, workers can also expect to have an increased likelihood of being exposed to engineered nanomaterials along with silica and other construction dust. While there is no evidence yet that engineered nanomaterials cause harm in humans, animal studies have demonstrated that some engineered nanomaterials, such as titanium dioxide and carbon nanotubes, can cause adverse effects on the lungs, including lung cancer (NIOSH, 2011; NIOSH, 2013).
Silicosis occurs when inhaled silica dust causes scarring of the lungs, causing difficulty breathing. Silicosis is not restricted to people with chronic exposure. Short-term exposure to very high levels of silica dust can cause acute silicosis, which can be fatal within months. Air filtering respirators with an APF of 10 are not sufficient for high dust exposures. Unless air monitoring documents silica dust exposures consistently less than 10 times the Permissible Exposure Limit, higher forms of respiratory protection must be used. APF 10 respirators should only be used in addition to effective dust suppression using wet methods or local exhaust ventilation. In construction products that contain both silica and an engineered nanomaterial like titanium dioxide, workers are most likely exposed to far more risk of harm to their health from exposure to silica than the health risk resulting from exposure to the engineered nanomaterial. That means that selection of the appropriate form of respiratory protection that effectively protects workers from the risk of silica will be sufficient to also protect workers from any health risks that may be associated with exposure to the engineered nanomaterial.
How Risks are Reduced:
A well-fitted APR forms a tight seal around the face ensuring that air must travel through the filter or cartridge before being inhaled. Filters remove solid contaminant particles. N95 filters are lighter material and trap particles using an electrostatic media to grab particles. N99 and N100 filters are a heavier material and physically block the passage of particles through the media. Cartridges for chemical vapors and gases work by trapping vapors onto an absorbent media. These media are specific to the gas or vapor and are limited by the attraction between chemical and media, as well as the available surface area for adsorption.
For workers exposed to engineered nanomaterials, NIOSH has concluded that N95 and P100 particulate filters provide the expected filtration efficiency according to their efficiency ratings (Rengasamy, et al 2009). However, both OSHA and NIOSH recommend that N100 or P100 filters be used when workers are exposed to high levels of airborne engineered nanomaterials (OSHA Fact Sheet FS-3634; NIOSH blog post December 7, 2011). Surveys have shown that the most common respirators that are in use against engineered nanomaterials are P100 filters on elastomeric half mask or filtering facepiece respirators (Conti, et al 2008).
Availability
3M
To obtain information, visit Aura™ N95 Particulate Respirator 9211+/37193(AAD) and Half Facepiece Respirator Assembly 6391/07003(AAD) and Particulate Respirator 8293
or contact 1-800-364-3577
Northern Safety & Industrial
To obtain information, visit 7210 N95 Disposable Respirator Masks
or contact 1-800-571-4646