Health and Safety Executive Controlling Respiratory Risks 9 th November 2016 Nick Baxter with a guest appearance from FFRED HSL: HSE s Health and Safety Laboratory Crown Copyright, HSE 2016
Content Introduction Respiratory diseases Regulations specific to RPE Fit testing Research by HSL FFRED
Who is HSL?: Commercial arm of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Deliver high quality science to meet the needs of industry and government in the UK and overseas State-of-the-art scientific laboratory in Buxton, as well as analytical expertise from other parts of HSE s science base Government scientific laboratory / Civil Service Deliver solutions: Safety; Health; Productivity
HSL: the dimensions ~ 40M turnover 550 acres (220 hectares) Widest science base of any equivalent European laboratory Technical disciplines: Fire & explosion Process safety & risk assessment Mathematical sciences Mechanical engineering & materials Electrical & control engineering Analytical chemistry Occupational hygiene Medicine Human factors & psychology Personal safety
Overview of PPE activities Input to HSE guidance & advice Incident investigations Research and testing: Measuring PPE performance Laboratory, simulated and workplace conditions Assessing PPE impact on wearer PPE training Technical input to PPE Standards
Training at HSL Over 50 courses Health and wellbeing, human factors, major hazards and process safety PPE and RPE essentials Knowledge, understanding, legal requirements, selection, PPE/RPE programme RPE fit testing Introduction, advanced, technical and practical skills
Respiratory diseases Work related diseases Breathing in hazardous substances dust, fumes and gases 12,000 deaths each year from occupational respiratory diseases 2/3 asbestos related or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) 13,000 new cases each year Breathing or lung problems caused or made worse by work
Respiratory diseases Respiratory priority areas Construction workers Foundry workers Welders Quarry and stoneworkers Agricultural workers Vehicle paint sprayers Bakery workers
What types of dust are most hazardous? Some dusts are more harmful than others Can develop health problems and occupational disease Asbestos Flour Grain Wood Silica
Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Exposure to RCS occurs in many industries such as: Construction and demolition Quarrying Foundries Concrete product manufacturing Grit and abrasive blasting
What is silica dust Approximate crystalline silica content of different materials Sandstone 70-90% Concrete, mortar 25-70% Tile 30-45% Granite 20-45% Slate 20-40% Brick Up to 30% Limestone 2% Marble 2%
How can RCS harm your health? Silicosis Irreversible lung disease Difficulty breathing Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Chronic bronchitis, emphysema with coughing and phlegm Breathlessness, chest tightness Lung cancer Silicosis increases the risk
Respiratory problems Weeks Months Exacerbations of underlying lung disease Irritant bronchitis Years Occupational asthma and rhinitis Extrinsic allergic alveolitis COPD Decades Pneumoconiosis (silicosos, mixed dust siderosis) Lung cancer
Should your employer protect you? Employers must comply with COSHH Regs 2002 Assess the risks Prevent or control exposures Substitute Communicate risks Records
Regulations specific to RPE The law says that RPE used at work must: Be adequate and provide the wearer with effective protection Be suitable for the intended use Be CE marked Be selected, used and maintained by trained people Be correctly stored
Adequate RPE RPE that is right for the hazard and reduces exposure to the level required to protect the wearer s health WEL not exceeded Asthmagen or carcinogen ALARP If it can provide the necessary level of protection against the hazard so as to comply with the law
Adequate RPE for Stone cutting?
Suitable RPE RPE that is right for the wearer, task and environment, such that the wearer can work freely and without additional risks due to the RPE Considerations: Wearer Fit testing, vision, breathing resistance Work-task Work-rate, vision requirements, other PPE Work environment Communication, temperature, space to move Minimum user impediment Weight, heat burden, restricted mobility No additional risks e.g. trailing hoses, masking of alarms
Suitable RPE for stone cutting?
Suitable RPE for stone cutting?
Suitable RPE for stone cutting?
CE - mark Product Directive designed to eliminate barriers to trade within Europe, while safeguarding health and safety PPE satisfies the Basic Health and Safety Requirements of the Directive European Mark of Conformity Identifier of Notified Body responsible for ongoing quality of product (Cat III only)
RPE Use Use of control measures COSHH Reg 8/CAR Reg 12/IRR Reg 8/PPE@W Reg 9/10/11 Employer: Ensure correct use Training Compatibility of PPE Observation/supervision Remedial actions Employee: Correctly use the RPE As trained/intended Return & stored properly Report defects
RPE Use
RPE Maintenance Maintenance, examination and testing of control measures Employer COSHH Reg 9/CAR Reg 13/IRR Reg 10/PPE@W Reg 7 Maintained in an efficient state, in good working order, in good repair and in a clean condition Examined & tested at suitable intervals Records Effectively in a condition where it is capable of providing the level of protection expected
RPE Maintenance
Adequate Storage?
Fit Testing Tight-fitting facepieces
Why do you need to fit test? People have different size and shape of face Unlikely that one single design & size of facepiece will fit all users within a workforce No respirator is 100% leak proof!! poor fit is a major contributor to reduced protection
Aims of fit testing To match the facepiece to the wearer By selecting the right size and model for the wearer helps to achieve a good fit helps to select a comfortable mask Leads to enhanced protection hence reduced ill health
When to fit test? Initial selection of RPE Facepiece not tested previously RPE change Facial characteristics change H&S policy requires it
Fit Testing Methods HSE 282/28 validated methods Two basic types: Qualitative - provides a simple pass/fail based on the wearer s subjective assessment wearer decides whether it fits or not based on taste/smell an assumed fit factor of 100 is applied to a pass Quantitative - provides an independent objective measure of the fit of the RPE a numerical fit factor is generated by the fit testing device
Qualitative Fit Testing Bitrex or Saccharine test agent Head
Quantitative Fit Testing - employs the ambient air particles as the challenge TSI PortaCount - fit factors calculated from the measured particle concentration
The Fit2Fit Scheme Key objectives of the Fit2Fit scheme Set minimum standards for fit testing Increase the quality of fit testing Provide independent assessment of individual RPD fit testers To promote competent fit testing Allow competent fit testers to be identified by employers A method of assured compliance to the regulations
Research by HSL The effect of facial stubble on RPE fit
Background Tight-fitting facepieces rely on an effective faceseal RPE guidance/user instructions cleanshaven Studies have shown effectiveness of full facemasks is significantly reduced if the wearer has facial hair Little data on disposable filtering facepieces Objective To understand how the quality of fit changes over time due to facial hair growth
RPE use in the workplace
Methodology 15 male volunteers 7 FFP3, 2 half masks Fit tested from clean-shaven to 7 days of stubble growth Fit tested using Portacount model 8030 Each volunteer tested with 3 FFP3 and 1 half mask
FFP3 filtering facepieces Type 1: Smooth surfaced foam material Type 2: Knitted fabric covering a smooth material Type 3: The edge of the filtering material forms the faceseal
Elastomeric half mask
Overall effect Average for volunteer V3 with FFP
Findings Quality of fit is reduced where stubble is present May begin within 24 hours from shaving Increases as facial hair grows Specific to the facepiece/wearer combination Elastomeric facepieces more forgiving Is unpredictable Guidance on wearers being clean shaven should be followed... hair which has not been shaved within the previous 8 hour period (BSEN529)
FFRED FaceFit REspirator Demonstrator Questions? Nick Baxter email: nicholas.baxter@hsl.gsi.gov.uk Phone: +44 (0)1298 218331