What does APF 10 mean?

An N95 respirator has an APF of 10, meaning that, if used properly, can be safely used in an atmosphere that has a hazardous concentration of up to 10 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) or other exposure limit for that hazard.

What would the MUC be for a respirator with an APF of 10?

50 ppm
The MUC for a respirator with an APF of 10 in this example is 50 ppm. Because 30 ppm is less than the MUC, a half mask with appropriate chemical cartridges is allowed.

What is a protection factor in respirators?

Assigned Protection Factor (APF) means the work- place level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to em- ployees when the employer implements a continu- ing, effective respiratory protection program as specified by this section.

Which respirator has the highest protection factor?

PAPR with tight fitting headpiece and class TM3 offer the highest protection level among air purifying respirators.

Is an APF of 10 good?

The goal, according to OSHA, is to make sure exposure inside the mask does not get above the OSHA permissible exposure limits (PELs). Thus, if a standard allows exposures to 1 mg/m3 of dust and exposures are expected to be less than 10 mg/m3, then a mask with an APF of 10 should provide enough protection.

What is the protection factor of an N95 mask?

10
An APF of 10 has been assigned to half-mask respirators including N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) (OSHA, 2006).

What does APF 20 mean?

(APF 20) equipment (RPE) Control approach R Supplementary advice. This information will help employers comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), as amended, to control exposure to chemicals and protect workers’ health. It is also useful for trade union safety representatives.

How many protection factors for respirator selection?

1 Nominal Protection Factor; 2 Assigned Protection Factor Protection Factors for Respirator Selection Table of content 9 | 36 Protection Factors for Respirator Selection | Eric Dzuba (with Marc Ettema) | 10/10/2015 01General Information 02Terms, Definitions & Acronyms 03Protection Factor Values 04Putting the Information to Use

What does APF 10 mean for respirators?

For instance, an APF of 10 means the respirator can protect against exposure levels that are up to 10 times the PEL for that hazard. To see what level of APF your workplace needs, divide your exposure levels by the exposure limit.

What is a respirator level of protection?

The workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to properly fitted and trained workers These are the only values to use when making a respirator selection for those who follow OSHA. Calculated values by OSHA through workplace simulated exercises

What is the recommended protection factor for half-mask respirators?

The assigned protection factor of 10 for half-mask respirators A number of researchers have published or presented papers on workplace protection factor (WPF) studies involving halfmask respirators. Individually, each study contains a relatively small amount of data, generally less than 25 data points for any single respirator.