Respiratory protection crackdown

Inspectors will be looking for evidence of employers and workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls. If necessary, they will use enforcement to make sure people are protected.

Silica dust is a hazard that causes serious health issues for workers. Approximately 500 UK construction workers die each year from silicosis. The amounts needed to cause this damage are not large, and the effects are often not immediately detectable. Unfortunately, by the time it is noticed the total damage done may already be serious and life-changing. There are actions employers can take today to ensure the ongoing protection of their staff whilst exposed to crystalline silica. 

Managing exposure to Crystalline Silica

When looking to protect yourself or your staff from any airborne contaminants, Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), offer high and reliable protection, far exceeding disposable masks. 

CleanSpace Technology, an Australian company that designs and manufactures next-generation respirators, has found itself at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The proprietary technology, at the heart of all CleanSpace respirators, was designed by ex-ResMed biomedical engineers. ResMed is a world leader in CPAP devices. The engineers had the vision to make respirators that delivered high-level protection in an easy to use and comfortable system. The company has been successfully protecting workers in a wide range of sectors for the past ten years. 

Until CleanSpace, the technology for masks had not changed for 30 years. Traditional devices were typically uncomfortable, hot and provided low protection. Industries such as mining, metal works and stonemasonry where workers are exposed to harmful contaminants such as coal dust, silica and welding fumes, welcomed an alternative. 

CleanSpace says its respirators are a revolution in respiratory protection because while they provide all the protection of a PAPR, they a free from belts, battery packs and hoses, making them more comfortable and easier to deploy. They also deliver cool, fresh air on the face and don’t create moisture and fogging. CleanSpace respirators meet and exceed the minimum requirements for respiratory protection with a P3/TM3 filter. CleanSpace respirators are suitable for a variety of industries, including construction, stonemasonry and welding.

“One of the main reasons people go unprotected is because of low compliance. If masks are uncomfortable or not quick and easy to put on then it simply doesn’t get used,” said Dr Alex Birrell, CEO, CleanSpace Technology.

CleanSpace Technology has designed and developed several respirators for various industries. CleanSpace ULTRA is IP Rated 66, water tolerant, making it perfect for anyone wet-cutting stone or concrete. CleanSpace EX is intrinsically safe, certified for use in potentially explosive environments, and CleanSpace2 is for use where water tolerance or intrinsic safety is not required.

CleanSpace Technology supports ongoing learning, product training, fit testing to provide instructions on maintenance and care with attentive customer support.

For more information, visit www.cleanspacetechnology.com