For some, the thought of moving to powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) can be intimidating. Let’s take a look at a few basics that we will call the “ABCs” to help you get started and guide you through the research process.
Airflow: The flow of filtered air into the hood creates a positive pressure and keeps the contaminants out. For hood-style PAPRs, NIOSH requires at least 6 CFM (Cubic feet per minute) or 170 LPM (Litre per minute) and 4.0 CFM or 115 LPM but most workers usually want significantly more airflow than that. Be sure to ask for the airflow specifications of any PAPR you are considering.