Construction workers are on the front line when it comes to hazards. They can be exposed to a range of harmful airborne contaminants including asbestos fibres, silica dust, chemical fumes and gases.

Without the right respiratory protection, the consequences of inhaling these airborne hazards can be dire. Yet even when respirators are available, the problems mount up. Workers:

• Have the wrong respirator for the contaminant and job.
• Wear the right respirator but fail to fit it correctly.
• Find them too uncomfortable to wear for long shifts
• Adjust them and break the face seal
• Take the respirator off to talk or use the radio.
• Fail to clean and maintain the respirator
• Forget to change the filter when required
• Mix and match brands, reducing effectiveness

The 3M solution: collaboration is key!

3M helps overcome these challenges, offering a range of products and support to help employers understand respirator selection, types and fitting in order to best protect workers.

Identifying the hazards

The first step is choosing the right respirator for the particular hazard. Hazards in construction include:

• Particulates like dust, fume, fibre and aerosols
• Gases and vapours from paint, solvents or petrol

Particulate filters include P1 (for drilling, grinding, crushing), P2 (for welding, bushfires and smelters) and P3 for all particulates including beryllium and asbestos. Gas cartridges come in capacity ratings A1, A2 and A3, with some jobs requiring a combined filter and cartridge.

The 3M Service Life Software can help with filter selection and compatible facepieces/systems. Just enter the contaminants of concern and get a recommendation for a wide range of contaminants. If a contaminant is not listed just contact Blackwoods or 3M for further assistance.

Types of respirators

There are two main respirator types.

• Air purifying respirators (APR) use a filter or cartridge to capture the contaminant as it passes through. This can include a disposable, reusable and powered air purifying respirator (PAPR).
• Supplied air respirators (SAR) use continuous flow of air, or pressure demand.

APR respirators are modular and versatile, making them well suited to construction. Choose a reusable full facepiece, like the FF-800, or half face, in small, medium and large. Some have a speech diaphragm, for on-site communication. Note that only 3M filters should be used on 3M respirators. Respirators are tested as a system, so mixing brands that have not been tested together may not offer reliable protection.

How do you get the right fit?

While loose fitting respirators connected to a PAPR or supplied air source don’t require a fit test, negative and positive tight fitting respirators do.

Ask:

• Do you have the right type and style of protection?
• Does it fit the individual worker?
• Is it being worn every time it’s needed?
• Is it worn properly each and every time?

The respirator needs to be properly fitted the first time a worker puts it on. Facial hair, piercings, dental surgery, sweating, level of movement and sunscreen use are all factors that can affect the reliability of the seal. Regular or annual fit tests are then recommended to ensure ongoing compliance and safety. Types of tests include:

• Qualitative (QLFT) aerosol taste test (ATT)
• Quantitative (QNFT) Condensation nuclei counting (CNC)
• Quantitative (QNFT) Controlled negative pressure (CNP)

Each method has pro and cons, so be sure to research what method is suitable for the types of respirators being used. The 3M Wear It Right App is a companion to the 3M FT-10/FT-30 QLFT-ATT fit test kits, which gives fit testers and workers access to digital guidance and record-keeping capabilities at the touch of a button.

Mark Reggers, Certified Occupational Hygienist/Senior Application Engineer for 3M, says the company is passionate about worker protection. “We want to ensure every construction and industrial worker gets exactly the right type and level of respiratory protection for the job in hand – selected, fitted and maintained correctly each and every time,” Mark says

As Australia’s largest provider of industrial and safety equipment, Blackwoods has all your job requirements covered. Shop for the 3M FF-800 respirator on site.

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