Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR)
This type of respirator has a blower that forces ambient air through one or more filters attached to an inlet covering.
Powered Air-Purifying Respirators
The powered type is easier to breathe through than the non-powered type but needs a fully charged battery to work properly.
PAPRs provide the following key features, advantages, and disadvantages:
Key Features
- Battery powered blower forces contaminated ambient air through air-purifying filters.
- Purified air is delivered under positive-pressure to facepiece mask, helmet, or hood.
- Worn when disposable and reusable half mask negative-pressure air-purifying respirators do not provide adequate protection.
Advantages
- Provides greater protection than non-powered negative-pressure air-purifying respirators.
- More comfortable to wear and to breathe compared to non-powered negative-pressure air-purifying respirators.
- Air delivery to facepiece mask, helmet, or hood ensures that leakage of contaminated air is usually outward.
- Fit testing is not required.
- Various chemical cartridges or canisters are available to eliminate chemicals including organic vapors and acid gases.
- Provides both respiratory and eye protection.
Disadvantages
- bulky and noisy
- battery dependent
- not a true positive-pressure device (i.e., some leakage of contaminated air into facepiece mask, helmet, or hood can occur)
- communication can be difficult
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-4. Which of the following is an advantage of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs)?
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