Performance of a full facepiece, air-purifying respirator against lead aerosols in a workplace environment

This study evaluated workplace performance of a full facepiece, negative pressure, air-purifying respirator with P100 filters in a lead refining plant. Air samples for lead were collected inside and outside the respirators worn by workers who were properly trained and quantitatively fit tested. Trained observers assisted in the study to ensure sample validity. Three to four pairs of air samples per day were collected from each worker for a total of 52 valid sample sets. Lead was found on all the outside samples, and concentrations were below the detection limit for all but one of the inside samples. The single measurable inside sample yielded a workplace protection factor (WPF) of 297. WPFs for the rest of the samples were estimated using the assumption that lead was present at the detection limit for the in-facepiece samples. Calculated WPFs were rounded down to the nearest 100 then subjected to a rank and percentile function. The 5th percentile WPF was approximately 900 using this approach. These WPFs exceed the assigned protection factor (APF) of 50 for this respirator class recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and listed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These results support the APF of 50 for this respirator and indicate the respirator provided adequate protection as used in this study.