## DUST MASKS & RESPIRATORS

**Respirator training must be conducted annually**  
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Respiratory protection is serious business. It literally can be the difference between life and death. You can’t just grab any mask and count on being safe. Today we’re going to talk about dust masks and respirators.

A dust mask is made of paper and has a single elastic strap to hold it on your head. Some dust masks have metal nose strips that help them stay on your nose; however, they’re not designed to form a good seal against your face. A dust mask is not a respirator and it won’t protect you from airborne contaminants like a respirator will.

A particulate filtering face piece looks a lot like a dust mask, but OSHA considers these devices to be respirators. The most common filtering face piece is the N95 respirator. These respirators have two elastic straps to hold them on your head and they are designed to make a complete seal against your face. Because OSHA regulations consider filtering face pieces to be respirators, you have to go through a formal fit test and you have to do a seal check each time you put one on. Keep in mind that filtering face piece respirators do not protect against chemical vapors, gases, lead, or asbestos. They are only effective against certain particles and dusts.

In addition to filtering face pieces, there are full-face and half-face respirators. These respirators come in four different types: particulate respirators, chemical cartridge respirators, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), and supplied-air respirators (SARs). We have been evaluating respirator use at Intel and will be upgrading to full-face respirators as soon as possible.

Of the four types of respirators, particulate respirators are the most common. They use simple filters to remove particles from the air you breathe. They’re easy to use and relatively inexpensive.

Powered air-purifying respirators are similar to particulate and chemical cartridge respirators, but they use a blower or pump to push air through the filters and/or cartridges.

The cartridges in chemical cartridge respirators contain special chemicals that react with or trap the hazardous chemical in the air. These respirators are only effective when you use a cartridge designed to remove the chemical you’re exposed to. If you use the wrong cartridge, you won’t be protected.

None of these types of respirators will protect you from atmospheres that are oxygen-deficient or are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). In these situations, you must use a supplied-air respirator (SAR).

Trouble signs while wearing a respirator include: having difficulty breathing, feeling out of breath, feeling fatigued, irritation in your eyes, nose, or throat, dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, smelling an unusual odor, having a strange taste in your mouth. Any of these signs could mean your respirator is not working properly and you’re in danger. Get to clean air immediately and then report the situation to your supervisor.

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## MEETING ATTENDEES

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