Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is a device used for protection against contaminated air. Certain professions, which include woodwork, handling pathogens or spraying paint, may require handling of substances, exposure to which can be hazardous or even deadly. Protection against such contaminated air is crucial. This is where this kind of respirator comes handy. It is a single unit that reduces the cost of acquiring and maintaining separate safety equipment, like helmets, goggles, dust masks, brow guards and many more. PAPRs are also known as PAPDs (Powered Air Purifying Devices) or Positive Pressure Powered Air Respirators.
- BENEFITS
PAPRs have some great features like:
- These respirators are usually lightweight and easy to carry, making them perfect for strenuous work, especially in closed work environments
- The equipment is a single unit that consists of: Full Faced Mask or Hood, Powered or Motor Driven Fan, Filter or Filters and a Power Source, like Battery
Certain PAPRs, like the Pureflo ESM Powered Air Respirator Helmet, has some unique and attractive features like:
- Absence of trailing leads or belts for mounting.
- Presence of rechargeable batteries that can go on for 8 hours.
- Rechargeable batteries can be charged without removing the helmet.
- Presence of Electronic Systems Management that ensures optimal performance of the equipment by monitoring the functioning of the fan, filters and performance of battery.
- Apart from all the general parts, these also have a neck cap.
- Coated Tinted Visor
- Optically Correct Vision
- A mesh Visor
- Odour or Vapour Filter
- Alarms that are both audible and visual can warn about depleted battery and filter life
- Lamp Bracket Attachment
- Radiant Heat Kit
- HOW DOES IT WORK?
The equipment includes a hood or full-face mask – the respirator. It is the part through which contaminated air is taken in and decontaminated through the filter/filters, delivering clean air to the user for breathing.
- Advantages
Advantages of the PAPRs are:
- The hood or full face mask makes it the ultimate protection for eyes, ears, in fact, the full head against the detrimental effects of airborne particles and pathogens that might be detrimental to health.
- It also provides protection against flying debris and sparks or molten metal splashes.
Pureflo ESM Powered Air Respirator Helmet is an example of PAPRs that have additional benefits like:
- Does not leave red mark or lines which PAPR with tight fitting masks may leave on the skin
- A Perfect Fit is achieved since there is no gap between individual respirators, hard hats and face shields
- Possibility of sweat build up and ambient airborne contaminants is reduced significantly
- How are PAPRs DIFFERENT from NEGATIVE PRESSURE RESPIRATORS?
- PAPRs make the inflow and outflow of air easy as it is done using a fan that is powered or motor-driven.
In case of the Negative Pressure Respirators, the user needs to draw in air through the filters which can be strenuous for the lungs, especially if the profession involves arduous work environment.
- In a PAPR, the exhaled air is dispersed through the Breathing Zone.
In Negative Pressure Respirators, assistance of the user’s lungs is needed to expel exhaled air.
Thus, from the above comparison, it can be concluded that Negative Pressure Respirators cause more exertion than the PAPRs.
- PROFESSIONS/INDUSTRIES WHERE THIS EQUIPMENT SHALL BE USEFUL
PAPRs are used by professionals who handle hazardous airborne particles or pathogens. Some industries or work environments where PAPRs come handy would be:
- Cement manufacture
- Powder mixing
- Ceramics
- Foundry
- Rubber and plastic manufacture
- Laboratories
- Metal working
- Pharmaceutical
- Grain handling
- Lead manufacture
- Oil-refining
