CleanSpace Respirators exceed minimum requirement for new QLD Code of Practice on silica dust exposure
Most people would have heard about the dangers of respirable crystalline silica exposure and its potential to cause silicosis, a debilitating lung condition that can lead to death.
While the recent talk has been centred around the dangers to stonemasons, it’s nothing new to the mining industry that has acknowledged silicosis as one of the primary diseases to affect miners since the industrialisation of drilling operations in the 20th century.
Respirable crystalline silica also causes lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. Silica dust is harmful when inhaled into your lungs. As it is 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, you can be breathing it in without knowing.
Silica is one of the most abundant minerals found in the earth’s crust and is used in many products across a variety of industries and workplaces. Crystalline silica is most dangerous to health when dust is generated, becomes airborne and is then inhaled by a worker.
While there are many industrial activities where people are exposed to respirable crystalline silica, the most notable are stonemasonry, excavation, construction, mining, tunnelling and abrasive blasting.
Engineered stone benchtop manufacturers in Queensland must now comply with the new guidelines to come into effect October 31, highlighting the need to improve respiratory safety requirements in this industry.
There are several areas that are to be addressed to effectively reduce exposure to silica dust. They are:
- No Dry Cutting
- Ventilation and other engineering controls
- Isolation
- Substitution
- Health monitoring
- Respiratory Protective Equipment
With regards to respiratory protection, PAPRs (Powered Air Purifying Systems) with at least a P2 filter is the new benchmark.
CleanSpace Respirators meet and exceed these minimum requirements offering a P3 filter that removes 99.95% of airborne contaminants. CleanSpace Respirators are a revolution in the area of respiratory protection because while they provide all the protection of a PAPR, they a free from belts, battery packs and hoses.
Even when used in hot and humid conditions, CleanSpace Respirators provide cool, clean air to the user and eliminate fogging and moisture. CleanSpace respirators are light, easy to put on, reliably safe and comfortable.
The clear silicon mask is comfortable and allows for easy communication. CleanSpace respirators are operated using a simple one-button smart system. These features combined mean workers are more likely to wear them for a full shift.
Compared to disposable masks, CleanSpace Respirators offer more protection and are more economical as the cost of replacing disposables stacks up. Disposable masks are well-known for causing fogging and discomfort, leading to low compliance.
CleanSpace Respirators have four models depending on the requirements of the industry.
- CleanSpace EX is intrinsically safe so that it can be worn in potentially explosive environments such as mining.
- CleanSpace Ultra is IP rated 66, making it water-tolerant, perfect for stonemasons carrying our wet-cutting.
- CleanSpace 2 can be used in a variety of industrial applications where water tolerance or intrinsic safety is not required.
- The newly launched CleanSpace HALO is designed specifically for the Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Laboratory sectors.
CleanSpace Technology assists in product training, fit testing and instructions on maintenance and care with attentive customer support and advice.
For more information on CleanSpace Respirators, visit www.cleanspacetechnology.com
Add Comment