South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL › Subchapter 61-63 - Radioactive Materials (Title A) › Part III - STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION › Section 61-63.III.RHA 3.52 - [Appendix A] Protection Factors for Respirators

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
APPENDIX A-RHA 3.52 PROTECTION FACTORS FOR RESPIRATORS
								[FNa]
Operating Mode
Assigned Protection Factors
I.
Air Purifying Respirators
(Particulate [FNb] only) [FNc]
Filtering facepiece disposabled
Negative Pressure
( [FNd] )
Facepiece, half [FNe]
Negative Pressure
10
Facepiece, full
Negative Pressure
100
Facepiece, half
Powered
air-purifying
respirators
50
Facepiece, full
Powered
air-purifying
respirators
1000
Helmet/hood
Powered
air-purifying
respirators
1000
Facepiece, loose-fitting
Powered
air-purifying
respirators
25
II.
Atmosphere supplying respirators (particulate, gases and
								vapors [FNf])
1. Air-line
respirator:
Facepiece, half
Demand
10
Facepiece, half
Continuous Flow
50
Facepiece, half
Pressure Demand
50
Facepiece, full
Demand
100
Facepiece, full
Continuous Flow
1000
Facepiece, full
Pressure Demand
1000
Helmet/hood
Continuous Flow
1000
Facepiece,
loose-fitting
Continuous Flow
25
Suit
Continuous Flow
( [FNg] )
2. Self-contained
breathing
Apparatus
(SCBA):
Facepiece, full
Demand
[FNh] 100
Facepiece, full
Pressure Demand
[FNi] 10,000
Facepiece, full Demand,
Recirculating
[FNh] 100
Facepiece, full
Positive Pressure Recirculating
[FNi] 10,000
III.
Combination Respirators; Any combination of
								air-purifying and atmosphere-supplying respirators
(1) Assigned protection factor for type and mode of
								operation as listed above.
[FNa] These assigned protection factors apply only in a
								respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of this Part. They are
								applicable only to airborne radiological hazards and may not be appropriate to
								circumstances when chemical or other respiratory hazards exist instead of, or in
								addition to, radioactive hazards. Selection and use of respirators for such
								circumstances must also comply with Department of Labor regulations.
Radioactive contaminants for which the concentration
								values in Table 1, Column 3 of Appendix B,
								RHA 3.53 are based on internal
								dose due to inhalation may, in addition, present external exposure hazards at higher
								concentrations. Under these circumstances, limitations on occupancy may have to be
								governed by external dose limits.
[FNb] Air purifying respirators with APF <100 must be
								equipped with particulate filters that are at least 95 percent efficient. Air
								purifying respirator's with APF = 100 must be equipped with particulate filters that
								are at least 99 percent efficient. Air purifying respirators with APFs <100 must
								be equipped with particulate filters that are at least 99.97 percent
								efficient.
[FNc] The licensee may apply to the Department for the
								use of an APF greater than 1 for sorbent cartridges as protection against airborne
								radioactive gases and vapors (e.g., radioiodine).
[FNd] Licensees may permit individuals to use this type
								of respirator who have not been medically screened or fit tested on the device
								provided that no credit be taken for their use in estimating intake or dose. It is
								also recognized that it is difficult to perform an effective positive or negative
								pressure pre-use user seal check on this type of device. All other respiratory
								protection program requirements listed in RHA 3.19.3 apply. An assigned protection
								factor has not been assigned for these devices. However, an APF equal to 10 may be
								used if the licensee can demonstrate a fit factor of at least 100 by use of a
								validated or evaluated, qualitative or quantitative fit test.
[FNe] Under-chin type only. No distinction is made in
								this Appendix between elastomeric half-masks with replaceable cartridges and those
								designed with the filter medium as an integral part of the facepiece (e.g.,
								disposable or reusable disposable). Both types are acceptable so long as the seal
								area of the latter contains some substantial type of seal-enhancing material such as
								rubber or plastic, the two or more suspension straps are adjustable, the filter
								medium is at least 95 percent efficient and all other requirements of this Part are
								met.
[FNf] The assigned protection factors for gases and
								vapors are not applicable to radioactive contaminants that present an absorption or
								submersion hazard. For tritium oxide vapor, approximately one-third of the intake
								occurs by absorption through the skin so that an overall protection factor of 3 is
								appropriate when atmosphere-supplying respirators are used to protect against
								tritium oxide. Exposure to radioactive noble gases is not considered a significant
								respiratory hazard, and protective actions for these contaminants should be based on
								external (submersion) dose considerations.
[FNg] No NIOSH approval schedule is currently available
								for atmosphere supplying suits. This equipment may be used in an acceptable
								respiratory protection program as long as all the other minimum program
								requirements, with the exception of fit testing, are met (i.e., RHA 3.19.3).
[FNh] The licensee should implement institutional
								controls to assure that these devices are not used in areas immediately dangerous to
								life or health (IDLH).
[FNi] This type of respirator may be used as an
								emergency device in unknown concentrations for protection against inhalation
								hazards. External radiation hazards and other limitations to permitted exposure such
								as skin absorption shall be taken into account in these circumstances. This device
								may not be used by any individual who experiences perceptible outward leakage of
								breathing gas while wearing the device.