Supplied-Air Respirators - They're a Breeze to Use

PPE is important and so is protecting your respiratory health with the correct personal protective equipment. Filter respirators are light, practical, easy to use and often a good choice of personal breathing protection. But there are work environments where filter respirators cannot or must not be worn, and an alternative must be found. These factors include:

• Confined space
• Air displacement
• Oxygen deficiency
• Very high concentrations
• Very toxic substances
• Unknown contaminants

If you can’t engineer out the hazard, and if you can’t filter the air, there is only one alternative: you have to bring clean air with you. This can be done by carrying an air cylinder (self-contained breathing apparatus or SCBA), or by breathing clean air through a hose from a remote air compressor.

Both respirator systems have advantages and drawbacks. For instance, an SCBA provides an extremely high level of protection, but has a limited supply of air, which restricts the operating time. It is also a demand-type respirator that requires you to wear a tight-fitting face piece. On the other hand, while supplied-air systems deliver a continuous flow of air so you can use loose-fitting hoods and helmets, long breathing hoses may limit your mobility and range.

When it comes to supplied-air respirators, the Sundström range of products offers a wide choice of both loose and tight-fitting head-tops, such as hoods, helmets, shields, visors and masks, along with hoses and regulators that allow users not only to have a continuous flow of safe breathing air, but also to connect air-driven tools. Moreover, the Sundström range includes welding hoods and airline filters that remove pollutants, oil mist, moisture and odours from the breathing air.