Who Should Wear A PAPR?

An electric welding PAPR (Powered Air-purifying Respirator, Powered Air Purifying Respirator) is a personal protection device that uses an electric motor to drive a fan that transmits filtered air to the wearer's breathing area for respiratory protection. The harmful substances produced by welding operations, such as smoke, harmful gases, ultraviolet and infrared rays, pose a serious threat to the respiratory system and eyes of welders. Therefore, PAPR is commonly used in the following situations or populations:

Healthcare workers: When dealing with airborne infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, SARS, MERS, COVID-19, etc., healthcare workers may need to use PAPRs to provide maximum respiratory protection.

Biosafety Laboratory staff: Laboratory staff may be required to use PAPRs when handling samples that may contain airborne pathogens.

The use of welding PAPR is not limited to welding workers, but also applies to all workers who may be exposed to welding fumes and harmful gases. This includes, but is not limited to, auxiliary welders, welding equipment operators, maintenance personnel in welding areas, and other workers working in the vicinity of welding operations.

Emergency responders: When dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear incidents, emergency responders may need to use PAPRs to provide necessary respiratory protection.

The decision to choose to use PAPR should be based on the specific risk assessment in the work environment, as well as the need for the performance of personal protective equipment. Paprs offer a higher level of protection than traditional N95 or surgical masks because they filter out at least 99.97% of air particles and do not rely on the user's breathing effort to provide air flow. Therefore, PAPR is a safer option in high-risk environments.