Respirators 101

Summary: Respirators are devices created to protect its wearer from the harmful effects of impure air. It - depending on its make - can protect against particles and impurities such as dust, fumes, smoke, and others. These devices are essential in industries such as mining, welding, medicine, and science. Respirators can either be filtration devices or oxygen supplied devices. Each has its own niche in any industry. Infiltration devices work by filtering out particles from the air...

Respirators are devices created to protect its wearer from the harmful effects of impure air. It - depending on its make - can protect against particles and impurities such as dust, fumes, smoke, and others. These devices are essential in industries such as mining, welding, medicine, and science. Respirators can either be filtration devices or oxygen supplied devices. Each has its own niche in any industry. Infiltration devices work by filtering out particles from the air in the environment. Self-supplied devices have their own air supply and provide safe air to its wearer. Without respirators, man is in danger of inhaling potentially hazardous particles. Miners without respirators would succumb to the poisonous air in mine shafts. Welders could inhale fumes from welded metal that could cause cancer and respiratory diseases. Health workers need respirators to protect themselves from airborne contaminants such as germs and droplets. The failure to wear such puts a medical institution in greater risk of spreading a disease. The use of respirators can be traced back to the days of Leonardo da Vinci. He suggested the use of finely woven, porous cloth that was dipped in water to protect sailors from a toxic weapon he had devised. Aside from this instance, respirators were first developed for use in industries. For example, Alexander Von Humboldt created a primitive device to assist miners that were exposed to the suffocating mines. From here various designs and implementations of the respirator were made. The basic form, however, of these contraptions was that of a bag that fit over the wearer's head with windows built around near the eyes to allow sight. These respirators would either filter the air in the environment or have bottle oxygen supply pure air to the wearer. Various materials were used to filter the air. Early attempts included cloth, linen, charcoal, lime, and a bevy of neutralizing chemicals. Some designs had bottled oxygen that even allowed for the recycle of exhaled gases. These devices stripped the CO2 from the air and allow for a few recycles of the air. During World War I, the German Army began using toxic chemicals in war. The Allies were initially outraged at the use of such underhanded methods. However, in the long run, they realized that the use of portable and effective respirators was integral to success on the battlefields against such toxic substances such as chlorine gas. Dozens of designs popped up during this period - with many of them duds and potential suffocating hazards themselves. Eventually, technology allowed for better devices and materials. The war had a great effect on expediting the development of respiration devices. Today's respirators are lightweight, efficient and affordable. They are available by different grades and uses. There are 3 generally regarded series of respirators: the N, R, and the P. The N series do not protect against oil based particulates. The R series somewhat provides protection against such particulates, while the P series is very effective against oil based fumes and particulates. A number generally follows the series letter, signifying the effectiveness of the respirator - the higher the number the greater the filtering effect. Today, respirators are a very important part of everyday industries. It is very important that, as a safety precaution, respirators and other safety devices be considered to protect against occupational hazards. It is also important that the work environment be examined to determine which respirator fits the job.