Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Health Services › DHS 110-199 - Health › Chapter DHS 157 - Radiation Protection › Appendix D

Current through June 24, 2024
Assigned Protection Factors for
				  Respiratorsa
Operating mode
Assigned Protection
								Factors
I. Air Purifying Respirators
[Particulate1Ab
								only]1Ac:
Filtering facepiece
								disposabled
Negative Pressure
(d)
Facepiece, half 
								e
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
								vapors1Af]:
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
(g)
2. Self-contained breathing apparatus
								(SCBA):
Facepiece, full
Demand
i100
Facepiece, full
Pressure Demand
i10,000
Facepiece, full
Demand, Recirculating
i100
Facepiece, full
Positive Pressure Recirculating
i10,000
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.
aThese assigned protection factors
				  apply only in a respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of
				  subchapter III of this chapter. The protection factors 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 U.S. Department of Labor regulations.
Radioactive contaminants for which the concentration values
				  in Column 3 of Appendix E 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.
b Air purifying respirators with
				  APF <100 must be equipped with particulate filters that are at least 95
				  percent efficient. Air purifying respirators 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.
c A 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, for example,
				  radioiodine.
d A licensee may permit
				  individuals who have not been medically screened or fit tested on the device to
				  use this type of respirator, 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 s.
				  DHS
				  157.27(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 demonstrates a fit factor of at least
				  100 by use of a validated or evaluated, qualitative or quantitative fit
				  test.
e 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, for example, 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 2 or
				  more suspension straps are adjustable, the filter medium is at least 95 percent
				  efficient and all other requirements of subchapter III of this chapter are
				  met.
fThe 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.
g No National Institute of
				  Occupational Safety and Health 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.
Note:
See s.DHS 157.27 (3).
h A licensee should implement
				  institutional controls to assure that these devices are not used in areas
				  immediately dangerous to life or health.
iThis 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.