• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.424-431
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• 2021

Background: This study aims to introduce the formulation of the regulation for the selection of respirators for accident preparedness chemicals (APCs) according to chemical workplace situations and to determine on-site applicability. Methods: Workplaces were grouped into seven work categories, and APCs were classified into six groups to select adequate respirators. A survey was conducted to enhance the understanding of work situations and adequate respirators. The total number of subjects surveyed in 2018 was 201 managers and handlers, and that in 2019 was 91 handlers and 204 managers. Results: Adequate respirators were allocated to each cell using the matrix method. The study observed an overall lack of understanding of work situations, especially in the operation of open devices, which was the highest at 32.7%. Despite its implementation in 2015, 17.6% and 25.0% of the managers and APCs handlers, respectively, were unaware of the regulations for selecting respirators. Only 70.4% of the APCs handler wore respirators in compliance with regulations. Conclusion: The method for selecting respirators according to work situations using the matrix method is considered reasonable. Thus, this study suggests that the development of educational contents and reinforcing education should be essential steps to increasing awareness of regulations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.28-36
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• 2018

There was a difference in recognition of respirators according to the educational performance environment. they were showed higher recognition of respirators of group by internal and external mix trainer, less than 6 months, over 1hour, more than 5 times, variety of education. To identify the relationship between types of job classification(typical and atypical)and the levels of recognition of respirators, a total of 153 workers in a business workplace. mainly, typical workers showed higher recognition of respirators than atypical workers. Training of correct wearing showed high demands both typical and atypical workers. Descriptive statistics(SAS ver 9.2)was performed. the results of recognition of respirators were analyzed the mean and standard deviation by t-test, and anova, fit factor is used geometric means(geometric standard deviation), paired t-test, Wilcoxon analysis(P=0.05). Particulate filtering facepiece respirators (PFFR) is one of the most widely used items of personal protective equipments, and a tight fit of the respirators on the wearers is critical for the protection effectiveness. In order to effectively protect the workers through the respirators, it is important to find and evaluate the ways that can be readily applicable at the workplace to improve the fit of the respirators. This study was designed to evaluate effects of mask style (cup or foldable type) and donning training on fit factors (FF) of the respirators, since these are available at various workplace, especially at small business workplace. A total of 40 study subjects, comprised of employment type workers in metalworking industries, were enrolled in this study. The FF were quantitatively measured before and after training related to the proper donning and use of cup or foldable-type respirators. The pass/fail criterion of FF was set at 100. After the donning training for the cup-type mask, fit test were increased by 769%. but foldable-type mask was also increased after the donning training, the GM of FF for the foldable-type mask and it's increase rate were smaller as compared to the cup-type mask. Furthermore, the differences of the increase rates of the GM of FF in employment type of the subjects were not significantly for the foldable-type mask. These results imply that the raining on the donning and use of PFFR can enhance the protection effectiveness of cup or foldable-type mask, and that the training effects for the foldable-type mask is less significant than that for the cup-type mask. Therefore, it is recommended that the donning training and fit tests should be conducted before the use of the PFFR, and listening to workers opinion regularly.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.180-188
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• 1994

This study was designed to investigate qualitatively whether respirators now being used in workplaces tit workers iflfaces well or not. Leak sites were determined after exposing the subjects to fluorescent aerosol and were analyzed by gender, brand and manufacturing nation. The results were as follows ; 1. Among those leak sites which were classified into four areas(nose, cheek, lip and chin), test aerosol was mostly deposited on the nose and the cheek areas. 2. The mean number of leak sites observed from the female subjects were 2.3 while the number were 2.2 from the male subjects. The most frequently observed leak site was nose and followed by chin, lip and cheek in descending order of frequency. 3. Among different brands of respirators, different leak sites were observed. Test subjects wearing the Sand N brands were more heavily exposed than those of wearing the D and M brands. 4. No significant difference of the number of leak sites were found between Korean-made and American-made masks. However, the most frequent leak site observed for the Korean-made ones was the nose area while it was the chin area for the American-made ones. 5. Analyses of 97 leak sites by shape showed that 27(27.8%) were point types, 54(55.7%) diffuse types and 16(16.5%) streamline types. 6. Test subjects indicated that the facepieces of Korean-made respirators were harder and smaller in size than those of American-made one. The most comfortable respirator selected was the respirator by the N Co. and the most uncomfortable one was the respirator by the D Co. This study suggests that many half-mask respirators now being used in the workplaces may not fit to workers well. Therefore, when selecting respirators, employers are advised to test respirators if they fit to workers well. And manufacturers are recommended to produce effective and comfortable respirators tested qualitatively and quantitatively not only in the laboratory but also in the field.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2011

There is widespread concern that particulate filtering respirators (PFRs) available in Korea will be efficient for nanoparticles. The purpose of this review study was to analyse research literature and recommend PFRs suitable for protection against nanoparticles. In all studies, respirators containing electret filter media (N95, P100 and FFP2, FFP3) consistently have their MPPS below 100 nm and particle penetration levels at the MPPS can vary widely, but they comply with NIOSH or EN certification criterion. Electret filtering facepieces respirators (FFRs) were found to shift in the Most-Penetrating Particle Size(MPPS) from 30-60 to 200-300 nm range after the electric charges were removed, and FFRs were above their minimum penetrations of criterion. Korean special class and first class FFRs (the same as FFP3 and FFP2, respectively) would be effcient for nanoparticles unless FFRs are removed electric charges. It is difficult to evaluate if mechanical PFRs is efficient for nanoparticles due to the lack of related materials.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.393-403
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• 2014

Objectives: Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) intended to provide guidance to respirator program administrators on respirator selection. The purpose of this project is to suggest a preliminary respirator selection guide(PRSG) for the final guidance certified by KOSHA for the correct selection of respirators in the workplace. Materials: This PRSG was made on the based of current status of respirator usage including respirators available in Korea, foreign documents search and so on. PRSG was partially modified NIOSH pocket guide to chemical hazards, 3M Respirator Protection Resource Guide(RPRG) and OSHA Assigned Protection Factor(APF) rulemaking. Results: Respirators for chemicals having Korean Occupational Exposure Limits(KOELs) can be recommended in PRSG. For the others chemicals that have no KOELs, PRSG tells you what respirators you can select, using a simple step-by-step approach after health hazard assessment like HSE procedure. Conclusions: PRSG helps you to decide the right level of protection for a given hazardous substance and how to select the right respirators. PRSG is thus expected to reduce significant misuses of respirators for the work environment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.30-36
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• 2001

This review begins with a brief expression of aerosol capture mechanism of fibrous filter(s) and performance of particulate removing respirators. The more complicated and detailed discussion is not included in this articles. Filtration efficiency and pressure drop are introduced as quality factor ( $q_{F}$) and the way in which filtration efficiency varies with particle size is discussed. Quality factors fro filters recently certified in USA were found to be very higher than those of filters made in Korea, China and USA filters certified with old certified standards. Electrically charged filters are widely used because they have high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop, but their efficiency decreases sharply at the condition occurring wet and oil mist. A discussion is given of respirator leakage through face seal and filter media with fit testing and total inward leakage testing. Since fit factor (FF) refers to the reciprocal of the fraction of the total air entering a respirator through face seal leakage , the degree of fitting performance for respirators is expected with FF. Because respirators made in Korea had generally lower FFs than respirators made in USA, it is necessary to develope respirators that fit properly for Koreans or establish regulations for fit testing.g.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.16-21
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• 2004

This paper has investigated influences of pollutants in air-breathing on the respirators and it by year of disused air respirators that fire fighter is using in domestic cutting done air respirators after collection observed state of cylinder material through instrumental analysis, and cut open pipe to confirm pollution degree of pipe from cylinder of air respirators to airline mask and confirm pollution availability. The metal surface inside the air respirators was corroded by moisture included in the compressed air. The material generated by corrosion is white powder of less then 100㎛, which is analyzed as aluminum hydroxide corroded by moisture. This aluminum hydroxide powder may get into the lung while one breathes in, and it is easy to be attached to the lung so it will cause a serious influences to human health. This study suggests that Korea should set out the standards for components and composition of breathing air as soon as possible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.3-7
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• 1990

This study is conducted to experiment on the performance test for 20 types of Filter-integrated Half-masks which could not only protect workers exposed to dusty environment, but also improve workability. Results and conclusions are as follows ： 1) Respirators that removal efficiency of aerosols is 95 percent or more are 11 kinds(55%), and those who are 99.9 percent or more are 4 kinds(20%). Respirators that inhalation resistance is 4 mm in water or less are 13 kinds(65%), and those who are 6 mm in water or less are 17 kinds(85%). Respirators that efficiency of cumulative inhalation resistance is 100 percent or less are 11 kinds(55%) . 2) Respirators that resistance of moisture inhalation is 6 mm in water or less are 11 kinds(55%). and those who are 10 mm in water or less are 13 kinds(65cio), Respira'tors that ratio of removal efficiency for aerosols between dry and wet conditions is 95 percent or more are 9 kinds(45%). 3) Respirators which are not only 95 percent or more for removal efficiency of aersosls and 6 mm in water or less for inhalation resistance, but also 200 percent or less for efficiency of cumulative inhalation resistance, are 8 kinds(40％). Respirators which are not only 99.9 percent or more for removal efficiency and 6 mm in water or less for inhalation resistance, but also 100 percent or less for efficiency of cumulative inhalation resistance, are 3 kinds(15%). Respirators which are not only 95 percent or more for removal efficiency of aerosols and 6 mm in water or less for inhalation resistance, but also 200 percent or less for efficiency of cumulative inhalation resistance and 10 mm in water or less for resistance of moisture inhalation, are 6 kinds(30％) . 4) As standard rrlodel of artificial human head which would be perhaps different from the true one Is used to experiment fitness test, leakage rate is shown to be more or less high. However, artificial human head shall be accurately examined and follow-up studt. would be conducted in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.92-101
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• 2001

This article reviewed previous studies on the 3D face recognition and anthropometric facial analysis to design suitable respirators for individuals. 3D facial anthropometric data have not been reported in Korea yet. With 3D facial data, it is possible to design and to manufacture respirators having more effective respirator-face seal and thus providing more comfortable wearing than donning of those respirators designed using 1 and 2-dimensional data. Also 3D data could be used for respirator fit-testing and selecting suitable respirator type and size by computer simulation without several steps of fit-test to each individual worker.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 1997

A quantitative fit test, condensation nuclei counting(Portacount 8025, TSI), was performed concurrently with a qualitative fit test, sodium saccharin(FT-10, 3M) to evaluate FF values and to determine the correlation between two methods. Two brands of full facepieces, T, S and two brands of half masks, T, S, were fit tested, respectively, on 103 wearers one time. The FF values obtained by CNC QNFT were lognormally distributed. The FF values for T brand of respirators were statistically very much higher than those for S brand of respirators. For a full facepiece wearer combination having a $FF{\leq}100$, as determined by CNC QNFT, the point estimate of the probability of that combination not being rejected by the saccharin QLFT was found to be 0.09 with 90% confidence that this statistic is not expected to exceed 0.25. For a half mask wearer combination having a $FF{\leq}10$, as determined by CNC QNFT, the point estimate of the probability of that combination not being rejected by the saccharin QLFT was found to be 0.10 with 90%, confidence that this statistic is not expected to exceed 0.23. The uncertainty associated with each estimate, however, is large due to the small number of study subjects with inadequately fitting respirators. This result indicates that saccharin QLFT may be more suitable for adequately fitting respirators than inadequately fitting respirators.