When it comes to protecting your employees from contaminated air, whether harmful particles and/or gases and vapours, the increasingly popular Dräger Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is gaining attention around the world.
Michaela Cox and Martyn Standering, Business Development Managers at Dräger Safety UK tell us more about PAPR’s and the benefits it offers.
Q: For someone thinking of buying respiratory protection, who isn’t familiar with this type of equipment, what is a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR)?
A Powered Air Purifying Respirator is a battery-operated device which blows ambient air through a specific filter, removing contaminates and delivering purified air to the wearer through a hose to the head top.
Whilst many variations are available, the PAPR is typically attached to a belt and sits on the lower back or the waist of the user. Some powered air devices only offer protection against particulates such as silica dust, whereas others, such as Dräger’s X-plore® 8000 series, has a wide range of filter options that also include protection against many dangerous gases and vapours such as a those present from paint removal and grinding.
Q: Why would you use PAPR?
There are many advantages to using a PAPR, some of which have been utilised across several industries. One particular benefit is that most PAPR head tops do not require the wearer to pass a face fit test prior to usage. This means that safety is not compromised by facial hair or a facial shape that may typically struggle to pass a face fit test procedure. This is particularly helpful where an employee has facial hair for religious reasons, as it allows for more inclusivity and choice, whilst still offering protection where needed.
In addition, the PAPR can also offer, depending on the head top selected, protection against knocks to head – even to the hard hat safety standard – and in the case of Dräger’s new X-plore 8000 head top it also offers splash protection – for those requiring more than just respiratory protection.
Q: In which industries/applications have you seen the greatest increase in use recently?
The versatility and modularity of the device means that applications can range from the varied environment found in the construction industry through to the pharmaceutical industry where a high level of protection against chemicals and decontamination is required, and as a result we are seeing a rapid growth in many markets such as these around the globe.
HSE’s “Dust Kills” campaigns has highlighted the risks associated with exposure to hazardous dust in environments such as construction sites. This exposure is highly dangerous and canfatally damage the lungs, so awareness of the versatility of PAPR in these situations has supported more widespread applications in this type of environment.
Q: Has the pandemic affected the thinking towards using PAPR?
The pandemic has meant that respiratory protection has been in the public eye more recently and this has evolved to a greater awareness of workplace respiratory risks. For example, the dangers of silica dust in the rail and construction industry.
Acceptance of those who wear PPE is critical and those who need protection for hours at a time, for example medical professionals, may appreciate the comfort and flexibility offered by the PAPR.
Q: What are customers looking for when purchasing a PAPR? Has this changed over the years?
First and foremost, our customers are looking for a product that offers the highest level of protection, so equipment reliability is key. Secondly there is a requirement for comfort. If you are going to wear respiratory protection for an extended period of time, this is an important factor to also consider.
In addition, considering the wide diversity of people using RPE, introducing a PAPR that supports protection of all employees, including those with facial hair ensures the maximum amount of people are protected.
Q: What are the key features of the Dräger PAPR?
There are a number of features of our Dräger X-plore 8000 range:
– The unit is designed to be virtually maintenance-free through features such as self-calibration.
– The display panel is clear and informative and contains details regarding remaining battery and filter life. A warning alarm sounds and the unit vibrates when battery life is low or the filter requires changing.
– The unit recognises connected headgear and automatically selects the correct minimum flow rate, avoiding leakages caused by insufficient flow rates. – The unit has high ingress protection (IP65) against dust and water jets from any direction making it possible to be used in a decontamination shower and has a sleek design making it easy to clean.
– If the wearer has forgotten something, such as adding the filter, there is an alarm which will sound to notify.
Dräger’s new X-plore 8000 Head Tops offer:
– Airflow adjustability adds to the comfort of the wearer.
– The ratchet fastener and cushioned sweatband means that the PAPR offers a customised fit to the wearer.
– The option for a flip up visor provides convenience to the wearer.
– There are a wide range of head top seals to meet different requirements. These can be interchanged with different lengths and materials (Zytec® or Tychem®).
Q: Where do you see the future for PAPR?
As more companies become familiar with the features offered, we believe we’ll see this growth escalate further as workers realise the benefits and protection offered by the Dräger PAPR unit.
For more information: Dräger PAPR
HSE ‘Dust Kills’ campaign
