Its protection offers a step up from that of face masks (APF=10) and it does not require fit testing as negative pressure masks do, at least not when coupled with loose-fitting headgear. The simpler design of the CAPR makes it suitable for use in applications where biohazards exist, and makes it less intimidating to users and patients as well. Sanitizing the equipment between runs is less of an issue there. Generally, industrial hazards created while working (such as welding fumes) dissipate when the work halts. Infectious agents can remain on components of a PAPR for some period following exposure so protocols for usage and sterilizing must be established by individual health-care facilities. Careful attention to donning and doffing, sanitizing, etc. Infection control is obviously an important aspect of using PAPRs in biological settings and somewhat different than the requirements for using PAPRs in regular industrial applications. An inexpensive disposable face shield attaches to the helmet and includes a neck cuff which closes off the underside to create a kind of personal clean space. The helmet assembly is also designed to be readily sanitized and features disposable head liners that allow units to be shared. Thus, the somewhat cumbersome arrangement of the PAPR is streamlined and made a bit less intrusive, a benefit to health care workers and probably less intimidating for patients to see in a medical facility setting. The proprietary CAPR moves the blower and motor unit from the belt up to the headgear itself, leaving only the battery pack on the belt and replacing the hose with a power cord. PAPRs approved by NIOSH are required to deliver 6-15 cfm of air for loose-fitting hoods and helmets and 4-15 cfm of air for tight-fitting masks and facepieces. Facial hair, which renders a face-sealing mask unfunctional, can still be worn using PAPR. Headgear can range from a welding helmet to a full-face mask, or, for biohazard work, a full hood manufactured from disposable materials. The positive pressure produced by a PAPR somewhat solves the problem of ineffective face sealing. This is the upper limit at which a respirator is expected to provide protection. There is another term OSHA applies, the MUC, or maximum use concentration. APF determines the proportion of contaminants that can make it past the protective device: a 10 means 10%, a 100 means 1%, and so forth. A dust mask rates a 10 while an SCBA with full face mask rates a 10,000. OSHA’s assigned protection factor (APF) rates them between 25 and 1,000 depending on the headgear used. PAPRs fall somewhere between dust masks and self-contained breathing apparatus ( SCBA) in terms of respiratory protection. The helmet might include some additional draping to maintain a degree of closure of the helmet space. In these settings, only SARS or self-contained air supplies are appropriate.Ī typical PAPR set up for welding and grinding includes a welding helmet with an inlet for connecting to a supply hose from the power pack. The use of a PAPR requires an ambient air atmosphere and is unsuited for use in oxygen-deficient areas or in environments considered immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). The system is self-contained and the user is not encumbered by hoses as he would be with Supplied Air Respirators or SARs. PAPRsĪ typical PAPR consists of a helmet or hood, an air line, and (usually) a belt-mounted power pack/blower/filtering unit. The following article briefly describes PAPRs and CAPRs and their differences and applications. If the respirator is not sealed properly to the wearer’s face, this negative pressure can provide a route into the mask by which harmful agents can enter. A primary distinction of PAPRs and CAPRs is that they deliver a positive outflow of air at all times to the wearer, as opposed to many respirators which require the wearer to draw air in, creating a negative pressure within the confines of the mask. PAPRs have become popular as they provide a level of comfort and protection that have sometimes been difficult to achieve with other respirators. A Controlled Air-Purifying Respirator, or CAPR ®, is a proprietary version of a PAPR, which fulfills all of the same functions using a slightly different arrangement. Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) are a class of respiratory protective devices used by industrial and medical workers to protect themselves against noxious fumes or biological hazards. Image credit: Bio-Medical Devices Intl, Inc.
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