Respirator recommendations

QCan you recommend the appropriate respiratory equipment that should be used for the following?

■ Outdoor brush application of two-pack epoxy anticorrosive primer or onepack conventional primer.

■ Chemical stripping and wet sanding of antifouling, outdoors.

■ dry-sanding epoxy in the engine compartment, with application of epoxy coat scheme and danboline paint. Andrew Greaves By email

RIchARd JERRAM REPLIES:

Before undertaking any sanding or application activity the user must ensure that they have read, understood and can correctly interpret all information mentioned in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for all products being used.

Personal protective equipment should be the first choice of reducing exposure to hazardous products. Engineering controls such as forced air ventilation and other methods of removal or application of the product must be considered and a full, thorough risk assessment must have been completed prior to starting work.

■ Two-part epoxy primer – brush application

Organic vapour filters with P3 particulate filters

■ if using international interstrip af and wet-sanding antifoul Combination filter ABEK1 and P3 particulate filters

For wet sanding, P3 particulate filters

■ dry-sanding epoxy

Because of the enclosed nature of the environment dust extraction must be used, and ideally supplied air respiratory protection. If this is not possible, then a fullface respirator with P3 particulate filters would be required.

A full-face respirator will give you an Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 40: this is twice as much as that offered from a half-mask respirator.

■ danboline

Organic vapour filter with P3 particulate filters.

■ Two-component polyurethanes

Because this is an isocyanatecured product, supplied air breathing equipment must be used wherever is reasonably practicable: isocyanate has no odour until 100 times above the safe exposure limit. If cartridge filters must be used, then an A2P2 filter would be required. However, a strict filter change policy would be required.

Respirator selection must be based on known or anticipated exposure levels, the hazards of the product and the safe working limits of the selected cartridge filter. Before starting any work, a full risk assessment must be undertaken, taking into consideration COSHH regulations, all appropriate measures stated on the MSDS and environmental conditions. For further information, contact a reputable Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) supplier and the regulatory affairs department of the product supplier.