Hood means a respiratory inlet covering that completely covers the head and neck and may also cover portions of the shoulders and torso. The equivalent NIOSH 42 CFR 84 particulate filters are the N100, R100, and P100 filters.

High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter means a filter that is at least 99.97% efficient in removing monodisperse particles of 0.3 micrometers in diameter. Helmet means a rigid respiratory inlet covering that also provides head protection against impact and penetration. (See also Qualitative fit test QLFT and Quantitative fit test QNFT.) The following definitions are important terms used in the respiratory protection standard in this section.Īir-purifying respirator means a respirator with an air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element.Īssigned protection factor (APF) means the workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection program as specified by this section.Ītmosphere-supplying respirator means a respirator that supplies the respirator user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere, and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units.Ĭanister or cartridge means a container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or combination of these items, which removes specific contaminants from the air passed through the container.ĭemand respirator means an atmosphere-supplying respirator that admits breathing air to the facepiece only when a negative pressure is created inside the facepiece by inhalation.Įmergency situation means any occurrence such as, but not limited to, equipment failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment that may or does result in an uncontrolled significant release of an airborne contaminant.Įmployee exposure means exposure to a concentration of an airborne contaminant that would occur if the employee were not using respiratory protection.Įnd-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) means a system that warns the respirator user of the approach of the end of adequate respiratory protection, for example, that the sorbent is approaching saturation or is no longer effective.Įscape-only respirator means a respirator intended to be used only for emergency exit.įilter or air purifying element means a component used in respirators to remove solid or liquid aerosols from the inspired air.įiltering facepiece (dust mask) means a negative pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering medium.įit factor means a quantitative estimate of the fit of a particular respirator to a specific individual, and typically estimates the ratio of the concentration of a substance in ambient air to its concentration inside the respirator when worn.įit test means the use of a protocol to qualitatively or quantitatively evaluate the fit of a respirator on an individual.

Cal osha breathing zone