Face Protection: Getting it Right

Vision and respiratory protection are extremely important for workers of many different professions including construction and manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, landscaping, health care, and professional sports.  OSHA explains when eye and face PPE should be used as follows:... In order for someone to wear a respirator around the workplace, they must first make sure the respirator works for them.  There are two tests that must happen before ever wearing a respirator for the first time: a fit test and a seal check.  OSHA states that the training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary and at a minimum, it should include:

Respirator Fit Test vs. Seal Check: Is There a Difference?

A fit test MUST be performed by each person and for each individual variance of masks provided before ever wearing a respirator.  This fit-test must be completed each year after the initial fit-test.  Seal checks must be performed EACH time a mask that has already passed the fit-test is worn.  Seal checking must not take place of a fit test.

Inhalation Fever and the Lack of Proper PPE

Inhalation fever is an acute flu-like illness that begins four to eight hours after heavy exposure to the causative dust or mist.  Some symptoms include but are not limited to chest tightness, cough, fever, headache, leukocytosis, myalgia, and rhinitis.  These symptoms generally resolve between 24 and 48 hours later. There are many hazardous agents that cause this disease: copper, cotton dust, diethyl zinc, endotoxins, grain dust, magnesium, magnesium oxide, polytetrafluoroethylene, and zinc oxide. 

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