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The Importance of Respiratory Protection in Shipyard Work

It's believed that around five million workers need to wear respirators in their places of work. These important pieces of equipment protect workers in places with poor oxygen quality and air hazards.

At first glance, you might think that shipyard work doesn't require this type of respiratory protection. However, the reality is that tons of respiratory hazards can affect the health and well-being of workers.

In this guide, we'll be discussing both the importance of shipyard respiratory protection and how to effectively train your workers in its use.

What Are Some Respiratory Hazards in Shipyard Work?

Though it might not seem like it, shipyards contain some of the worst respiratory hazards found in any industry. Everything from welding to cleaning agents can cause serious damage to a worker's lungs.

In this section, we'll be breaking down some of the specific things that employers need to protect their workers from in the shipyard industry.

Asbestos

No other industry suffers from higher rates of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer than shipyard workers. Why? During WWII and the Vietnam War, ships used asbestos in everything from pumps and gaskets to insulation and pipes.

When asbestos dust gets in the lungs, it stays there and develops into lung cancer. Unfortunately, this process isn't quick. Cancer can develop sometimes fifty years after exposure.

The good news is that legislation in the 1980s prevented the use of asbestos as a building material in ships and other industries. The bad news is that shipyard workers can still be exposed to it when they work on old ships and demolitions.

Respiratory equipment can protect against asbestos. However, it's also important that your shipyard workers can identify what it looks like so they can wear the proper equipment around it.

Spray Paint

Spray paints are used frequently during the construction of a ship. The chemicals found in these vapor paints can be hazardous even when used in outdoor, ventilated spaces.

They can be particularly dangerous if they're used within the confined spaces of a ship. Respirators and other PPE are a vital part of protecting against them.

Welding or Flame-Cutting

When shipyard workers engage in welding or flame work, they heat metals like steel and aluminum. This can release deadly heavy metal toxins into a worker's lungs.

Some of these toxins, like cadmium, are linked to a variety of lung diseases, both acute and chronic.

Cleaning Agents

Ships require heavy-duty cleaning agents to properly get a ship sea-ready. Many of the cleaning products contain active ingredients like diesel and trichloroethane. And like welding or spray painting, these agents can be extremely dangerous if inhaled.

How Do Respirators Help Protect Against These Hazards

Respirators are a vital part of protecting your shipyard workers from some of the hazards we've listed above. But exactly how do they work? There are two main ways that respirators protect against hazards like dust, smoke, sprays, mists, and gasses.

First, they're able to filter out contaminants from the air. The specific type of contaminant they filter out will depend on the respirator. For example, particle respirators filter out particles that have gone airborne, while gas masks are needed to deal with chemical and gaseous agents.

Some respirators filter entirely on their own. However, when the air quality in an area is bad enough, you'll need specialized respirators that can deliver a supply of fresh oxygen.

Ideally, engineering control systems should be able to control the air quality in a workspace. As such, respirators should only be used as a last line of defense in a shipyard work environment.

How Do You Select the Right Type of Respirator?

There are many different respirators out there. So how do you choose the right one for your workers? Unfortunately, there's no simple answer to this question. That's because to choose the right respirator you first need to undergo an exposure analysis.

This will reveal the specific type of threats, as well as the amounts of toxins present in a specific shipyard working location.

Once you've gotten this information you can get a much better assessment of the specific respirator that's right for the job. If you need help selecting the right respirator, check out this OSHA toolfor picking the right one for the shipyard job your workers are involved in.

How to Train Your Employees In Shipyard Respiratory Protection

To be properly protected against respiratory threats in shipyards, your workers will require numerous courses to learn both how to use their equipment and what threats to be aware of.

For starters, they'll need a Shipyard Respiratory Protection training course in eye, face, and lung PPE. This will teach them the basics of how to use a respirator mask. They'll also need to take a course on confined spaces within shipyards.

Because of the poor atmospheric conditions in these tight spaces, it's important to know both how to navigate them and what PPE to wear during the process.

You should also train your workers on the toxic substances and chemical hazards present in shipyards. That way, they know both what to expect, where it can be found, and how to protect themselves against it. Remember that these courses we listed only cover respiratory hazards.

There are plenty more threats to your workers, from hot work to walking hazards. We recommend checking out the full list of shipyard OSHA courses we offer here at Compliance Training Online. That way you can give your employees the training they need to stay safe.

We can also help answer basic questions like, "What is respiratory protection training?" This also ensures that you remain compliant with the regulations set by the federal government.

Need OSHA Compliance Courses? Contact Compliance Training Online

We hope this guide helped you learn more about the importance of shipyard respiratory protection. Here at Compliance Training Online we know how hectic it can be to run a shipyard.

Often you're so bogged down with logistics and employee management that it can be difficult to remember respiratory protection online training. That's why we make it both easy and cost-effective to train your employees in respiratory protection.

What's more, our courses do so without compromising the quality of education. However, don't take our word for it. Learn more about what people are saying about us today.

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