Respirator Cartridge Service Life "Rule of Thumb"
On its Respiratory Change Schedules page, OSHA mentions that there is a "Rule of Thumb" that provides a rough estimation of cartridge service life. The material is originally from Chapter 36 of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) publication "The Occupational Environment - Its Evaluation and Control."
This "Rule of Thumb" suggests the following:
- If the atmospheric chemical's boiling point is less than 70 degrees C and the concentration is less than 200 ppm, the service life (with normal work rates) is eight hours.
- Service life is "inversely proportional to work rate."
- Reducing concentration by a factor of 10 in turn increases service life by a factor of 5.
- Humidity above 85% reduces service life by 50%.
OSHA warns that this should not be the only method of determining service life; manufacturer recommendations and testing are also crucial to this endeavor.
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