The
assigned protection factor (APF) of a respirator reflects the level of protection that a
properly functioning respirator would be expected to provide to a population of properly
fitted and trained users. For example, an APF of 10 for a respirator means that a
user could expect to inhale no more than one tenth of the airborne contaminant
present.
 |
Keep In Mind
|
- Various groups such as the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have
proposed factors for the different types of respirators available.
- OSHA is developing a new
regulation to address the issue.
- OSHA, in the interim, will
recognize the APFs declared in its substance-specific standards, if applicable, or APFs
granted by a specific OSHA interpretation, or the NIOSH APFs.
|
Table of APFs for
various types of Respirators
|
| Respirator Class and Type |
OSHA
Cadmium Std. |
NIOSH |
| Air Purifying |
|
|
| Filtering Facepiece |
10 |
10 |
| Half-Mask |
10 |
10 |
| Full-Facepiece |
50 |
50 |
| |
|
|
| Powered Air Purifying |
|
|
| Half-Mask |
50 |
50 |
| Full-Facepiece |
250 |
50 |
| Loose Fitting Facepiece |
25 |
25 |
| Hood or Helmet |
25 |
25 |
| |
|
|
| Supplied Air |
|
|
| Half-Mask-Demand |
10 |
10 |
| Half-Mask-Continuous |
50 |
50 |
| Half-Mask-Pressure Demand |
1000 |
1000 |
| Full-Facepiece Demand |
50 |
50 |
| Full-Facepiece Continuous Flow |
250 |
50 |
| Full-Facepiece Pressure Demand |
1000 |
2000 |
| Loose Fitting Facepiece |
25 |
25 |
| Hood or Helmet |
25 |
25 |
| |
|
|
| Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) |
|
|
| Demand |
50 |
50 |
| Pressure Demand |
>1000 |
10,000 |
|
|
|
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