Dust Mask Information Page
This page contains a collection of information built up by Dr Ben Croxford, Course director of the MSc Environmental Design and Engineering course at the Bartlett Faculty of Built Environment, UCL University College London. Back yo my main page here Main Urban Pollution home page is here. If you like this page, or if you know something and want me to add it, or if you don’t like something tell me. Dr Ben Croxford, (24/5/2008)
This page was set up to provide information on methods of reducing dust exposure, primarily dust masks but also some other bits and bobs.
Suppliers, Standards
Manufacturer: 3M	go to http://www.3m.com/ and search for respirator.	Pages gives information about various dust masks
Supplier: Barnett's Safety Equipment Service	Ex Harwell and AEA, very knowledgeable and friendly. More info here http://www.kellysearch.co.uk/gb-company-35017294.html	Phil Barnett T: 01235 821593 M: 07721 671301
Supplier: Safety Stock	http://www.safetystock.co.uk/Safety_Dust_Masks_Respirators_3/
Suppliers: Other suppliers of respirators can be found here.	www.axminster.co.uk ; http://rswww.com/
Other: Nose filter or nasal filters	http://www.woolcock.org.au/pr/pr_30.htm was Inhalix now seems to be this http://www.breathe-ezy.com.au/ even has a clinical trial showing it looks like it works http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00741.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=all and see similar here http://www.breathepurenaf.com/	In-nose filter, small plugs forcing the air to make a turn and catching particles on sticky surface inside the plug reduces exposure to dust and pollen. Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Australia.
Really other	Fashion dust masks maybe fake http://www.flyingchair.net/story.php?storyID=297 No longer there, Another more believable one from this web site (picture not there either but web site has info on Japanese street fashion!) http://www.tokyoshoes.com/blog/archives/2003_08.html
Standards
Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL)	Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) for Fly Ash/ Cement type dust/ Hydrated lime OEL 8 hr Time Weighted Average (TWA) 10 mg/m3 total inhalable dust 4 mg/m3 respirable dust. Source: Castle Cement http://www.castlecement.co.uk/health3.htm#9
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH)	Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH), employers and the self-employed are required to make an assessment of the risk to health from the work activity, to introduce and maintain control measures and to inform, instruct and train employees about the risk and precautions to be taken. If you employ people who are regularly exposed to dust, COSHH would normally require that you ask if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness and that you make sure you know the reason for any absence from work. If employees suffer from respiratory illness you will need to prevent further exposure by changing work methods or otherwise improving control measures. http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)	- RPE should only be used as an additional measure when all other reasonably practicable means of controlling exposure  to dust have proved inadequate. - RPE can never provide 100% protection against exposure - there will always be some leakage of dusty air into it. - RPE must be capable of giving adequate protection; must be suitable for the purpose and marked with the CE mark, or conform to a standard approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). - Suitable RPE includes a disposable filtering face piece respirator to BS EN 149 or a half mask respirator to BS EN 140 with particle filters to BS EN 143. l Powered respirators such as ventilated  visors or ventilated helmet respirators may  provide similar protection to approved  respirators - if in doubt as to which type  of respirator you need, ask your supplier. Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Relevant British Standards Available from http://bsonline.techindex.co.uk/ with Athens password	BS EN 12942:1999 Respiratory protective devices: Power assisted filtering devices incorporating full face masks, half masks or quarter masks - Requirements, testing, marking BS EN 149:1992 Specification for filtering half masks to protect against particles BS EN 140:1999 Respiratory protective devices: Half masks and quarter masks - Requirements, testing, markings BS EN 136:1998 Respiratory protective devices: Full face mask - Requirements, testing, markings
US Health and Safety Links	http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/respiratoryprotection/index.html