Which CleanSpace Respirator is Right for Your Workplace?

Selecting the right respirator for your workplace

Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) and N95 disposable respirators are two of the respiratory protection options available to protect workers from hazardous airborne contaminants, but the design and means by which these two types of respirators function are very different. No matter how well made your respirator is, if it can't filter out hazards that it's not designed for, it will be ineffective in protecting your staff.

Disposable N95 Respirators are negative pressure masks which means air is drawn in through the mask. N95 filter particles that are above 0.3 microns in size with 95% filtration efficiency (hence the name N95). They achieve this level of filtration by using a filter layer in the mask that is created from non-woven fibre or material, such a polypropylene.

However, in order to be effective, N95 respirators are designed to be worn with a tight seal against the wearer’s face. This ensures that when the wearer inhales, the air being drawn in, is coming through the mask’s filtration layers, and not from leakage around the edges of the mask where it meets the face. Part of the procedures for proper use of an N95 mask requires that the mask be correctly fitted to assure that it is properly donned.

Powered Air Purifying Respirators are positive pressure respirators that offer a higher level of personal protection to the wearer.

Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) consist of a battery-powered air handler or blower that draws ambient air through a filter cartridge, directing the purified air to headgear such as a mask, hood or helmet. The power unit generates positive pressure inside the mask, which keeps unfiltered ambient air from entering the headgear and potentially being inhaled by the user.

This positive pressure feature means that the fit of the headgear used with PAPRs need not form a tight seal, unlike the N95 mask where a tight fit is a key requirement. This capability means that users with facial hair are able to wear the respirators because if there is a break in the seal, the air is pushing outwards, preventing any air from entering.

PAPRs are capable of filtering between 96% of contaminants to upwards of 99.9% at the higher end of the filtration metric. With a positive pressure respirator, there is significantly less risk of airborne contaminants breaching the mask and the wearer inhaling contaminants even during inadvertent mask movement, such as when the wearer adjusts the face mask or speaks.

A Revolution in Respiratory Protection

Conventional PAPRs are considered: heavy, bulky, complex to use, difficult to clean and maintain, and expensive - making widespread deployment impractical. However, thanks to advances in respirator technology, workplaces can now feasibly have the option of PAPRs with CleanSpace’s range of respirators that are lighter and smarter.

DWhere once these were belt mounted and cumbersome, CleanSpace have designed lightweight, compact respirators which allow staff to quickly put on their masks, and freely undertake routine activities such as bending, sitting, and getting in and out of small spaces.

Want to see how easy CleanSpace respirators are to don and use? Watch this video to see the CleanSpace2 in action.

We also understand that your staff’s health and safety is a big responsibility. Peace of mind comes with being able to send workers home safely each day. That means less worrying, more living for everyone.

CleanSpace PAPRs are in a different class to disposable masks. With HEPA filtered air delivered under positive pressure, they provide 40 times more protection than surgical masks or disposable respirators (N95 and FFP3). All CleanSpace Respirators are designed and manufactured at the company’s state of the art facility in Australia and covered by a two-year limited warranty which also includes free for life training.

Follow below to guide you on which CleanSpace respirator is most appropriate for your workplace, or contact the Absafe team for further assistance.

CleanSpace2