Types of Respirators

According to OSHA's Respiratory Protection handbook, a respirator is any "protective device that covers the nose and mouth or the entire face or head to guard the wearer against hazardous atmospheres." There are different types and categories of respirators, and the most suitable protective device is determined by factors such as exposure levels and atmospheric conditions.

There are two main types of respirators:

• Tight-fitting (half masks): These either cover the mouth and nose or are full facepieces that cover the face from the hairline to below the chin.
• Loose-fitting (hoods or helmets): These completely cover the head.

In addition, there are two major classes of respirators, which you will learn about in detail in the following slides:

• Air-purifying respirators: These remove contaminants from the air through a purification system.
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators: These provide clean, breathable air from an uncontaminated source.

In general, atmosphere-supplying respirators are used for more hazardous exposures, since these contaminants may not as easily be removed via a purification system.

To learn more about Respiratory Protection visit our Respiratory Protection Online Training web page.