Respiratory Protection

Training
Contents
Definition

General Requirements

Selection Of Respirators

Supplied Air Respirators

Filtering Facepieces
 Definition
 Saudi Aramco GI 1780.001:

 Respirator: A personal device designed to protect the wearer from the

inhalation of hazardous atmospheres.

 Supplied Air Respirators : A class of respirators that supplies pressurized

respirable atmosphere independent of the ambient atmosphere.

 Abrasive-Blasting Respirator: A respirator designed to protect the wearer

from inhalation of, impact of, and abrasion by materials used or generated in
abrasive blasting.
General Requirements
 Saudi Aramco (SASR B-6)
–The RIG OPERATOR shall ensure that all respiratory protection
equipment, needed by or reasonably anticipated to be needed by his
employees, is provided.

–Those employees required to use this equipment must be trained in its

effective use.

–Each RIG OPERATOR shall develop and put into practice a respiratory
protection program as per G.I. 1780.001.
 Selection Of Respirators
Respiratory protective equipment shall be selected on the basis of the
hazards to which the worker is exposed.
The airborne hazards most likely to be encountered in drilling and
Workover operations are:
 Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) atmospheres that
require the use of supplied-air respiratory protection equipment.

– Toxic vapours and gases, such as H2S.

– Atmospheres containing less than 20 per cent oxygen, by volume.
 Corrosive or irritating particulate matter for which dust Filtering
Facepieces Respirators protection is required. It is imperative
that the correct filters be identified and used.  
– Mixing Mud
– Sand storm
– Painting
– ……
 (Module 1)
Supplied Air Respirators
 Supplied Air Respirators
All respiratory protection equipment shall be a positive
pressure open circuit supplied air apparatus in the form of:

a) Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

b) Hose-line work masks, including an Emergency escape cylinder.

-SASR B-6
 Where we use supplied air respirators
We use supplied air respirators in the following locations, jobs or situations:

Gas leak or spill response

Firefighting Confined space work

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 Requirements for Supplied Air
Respirators
 Saudi Aramco uses only the open-circuit, positive pressure type of
SCBA in normal operations.

 Supplied air breathing apparatus (SABA) shall be of the positive-pressure or

continuous-flow positive pressure types. And combination-Type of SABA is
used to enter an IDLH atmosphere( For example: H2S release).

 Employees using SCBA shall operate in teams of two or more. Teams shall
be able to communicate with each other through visual, audible, or physical
means to coordinate their activities. （ Buddy system)

 Thirty-minute SCBA shall be located within the battery limits of all facilities
that have the potential to release toxic gases or present other hazards
necessitating the use of SCBA.

 Thirty-minute SCBA are mainly provided for emergency activities, but could
also be employed in planned work of short durations.
 Cleaning and Sanitizing
 Supplied Air Respirators shall be cleansed and sanitized regularly.

 Each respirator shall be cleaned immediately after use.

 Respirators intended for emergency use shall be cleaned and sanitized after
being used.
 Inspection for Defects
 The user shall inspect all respirators, in normal use, immediately before
each use to ensure that it is in proper working condition.

 Prior to cleaning and sanitizing, each respirator shall be inspected to

determine if it is in proper working condition

 Respirator inspection shall include a check for tightness of connections; for

the condition of the respiratory inlet covering, head harness, valves,
connecting tubes, harness assemblies, hoses, and for the proper function of
regulators, and alarms.

 Each air cylinder shall be inspected to ensure that it is fully charged and
with a current hydro test date (5 years).

 A record of inspection dates shall be kept for each respirator maintained for
emergency or rescue use.
 Storage
 Respirators shall be stored in a manner that will protect them against
physical and chemical agents such as vibration, shocks, sunlight, heat,
extreme cold, excessive moisture, damaging chemicals, dust, dirt, or sand.

 Respirators shall be stored to prevent distortion of rubber or other

elastomeric parts.

 Respirators shall not be stored in such places as lockers and toolboxes,

unless they are protected from contamination, distortion, and damage.

 Emergency and rescue use respirators that are placed in work areas shall
be accessible at all times, and the storage cabinet or container in which they
are stored shall be clearly marked.
Sealing and Functioning of the Facepiece

 For planned activities; air-supplied respirators with facepieces shall not be

worn when any condition prevents an adequate seal between the facepiece
and the wearer's face.
- e.g. spectacles with temple bars/straps, etc
- any other interference with the proper functioning of the respirators.

 If spectacles, goggles, face shield or welding helmet must be worn with an

air supplied respirator, they shall be worn in such a way, or be of such a
type, that they do not affect the seal of the facepiece to the face. For
example, prescription lenses can be mounted inside the facepiece using a
kit available from the manufacturer/vendor.
 Qualification, Maintenance, and Use of Air
Cylinders.

 Air cylinders shall be periodically hydrotested, inspected, and

marked.

 An air cylinder that leaks, is bulged, has defective valves or safety

devices, bears evidence of physical abuse, fire, heat, or chemical
damage, or detrimental rusting or corrosion, shall not be used.

 Any defects found or cylinders removed from service shall be

reported.

 Thread protectors must be used on a cylinder when it is not in use to

prevent dust, dirt, or sand from entering the cylinder valve assembly.
 RESPONSIBILITIES
User Organizations shall:
 Ensure that air supplied respirators are available as needed and each user passes
the required medical examinations for that type and use of respirator.
 Ensure that employees who required to use air supplied respirators must be trained.
 Inspect air supplied respirators based on the standards and record the inspection on
the service tag attached to the respirator.
 Provide a service tag on SABA respirators with the last service date to ensure that
servicing is done at regular time intervals.
 Ensure that appropriate care is given to respirable air apparatus in their custody.
 Ensure that damaged SCBA and SABA or those due for hydrotest shall be removed
from service.
 Where employees, who require vision correcting lenses, are expected to wear SCBA
or SABA as a normal part of their duties.
 RESPONSIBILITIES
Employees shall:
 Use air supplied respirators per instructions and training received.

 Guard against damage to air supplied respirators.

 Report any malfunction and/or damage of air supplied respirators to supervisor and
immediately remove the affected set from service.

 Clean and sanitize air supplied respirators after each use, or as required by
environmental conditions.

 Replace the used cylinder in a SCBA or SABA with one fully charged as soon as
possible.

 Only use air supplied respirators for which you are been trained and certified to use.
 (Module 2)
Filtering Facepieces
Types of Filtering Facepieces :

Half-face respirator

Full-face respirator
Dust Masks
Half-face & Full-face Cartridge Respirators
 Types of Respirators
(Dust mask $ Cartridge Respirators)

N95/R95/P95 Respirators filter out 95% of dust

particles

N99/R99/P99 Respirators filter out 99% of dust

particles

N100/R100/P100 Respirators filter out 99.7% of dust

particles

N99 or N100 respirators are recommended for very

fine dust or dangerous dusts such as asbestos or
silica.
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 Where Require Filtering Facepieces?

 Filtering facepieces are required in the following locations or for the

following job tasks in work over or/and drilling activits:

- Mixing mud
- Sand storm
- Using electric drill
- Cleaning
- Using Toxic materials
-……
 How Dust Mask Work?

Air inhaled in Air inhaled in

Air exhaled out

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 How Cartridge Respirators Work

Air inhaled in Air inhaled in

Air exhaled out

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Respirator Fit

Filtering Facepieces must fit

properly to prevent leaks
around the edges.

Beards are not allowed when

wearing a dust mask.

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 Limits of Dust Mask

Dust Mask will leak if they

don’t fit your face properly.

Dust masks don’t filter out

chemical vapors.

Dust masks are not adequate

for heavy amounts of dust.

Dust masks may not be

suitable for highly toxic dusts.

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 Limits of Chemical Cartridges

 Chemical cartridges can absorb only so

much chemical.

 When their capacity is reached,

breakthrough will occur.

 You can’t always tell if a respirator leaks

by a chemical odor.

 Some chemicals have no odor, or can only

be smelled at high levels.

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 Changing Cartridges
 Cartridges must be changed regularly.
 Particulate cartridges are changed when they become
difficult to breathe through or are damaged.
 Chemical cartridges are changed on a pre-determined
schedule.

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 How Should Respirators be Stored?

Respirators must be
stored in a clean dry
place.

Don’t store them

unprotected in your work
area.

Don’t store them like this!

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