Preliminary development of a real-time respirator seal integrity monitor with low-cost particle sensor.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Corey J ; Grinshpun SA ; Liu Y ; Wu B ; Yermakov M
• Description:
  In many industrial environments, properly fit and functioning respirators are required to reduce individual's exposure to particulate matter. Respirator fits are evaluated prior to use by the Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) fit testing protocol. However, this testing cannot ensure that the seal is maintained during actual use. The OSHA fit testing equipment and laboratory grade aerosol monitors are both too expensive and bulky to be deployed in workplace environments. In this effort, a low cost portable device, the respirator seal integrity monitor (ReSIM) was developed to monitor the aerosol particle concentrations inside a wearer's respirator mask, alerting the wearer when seal breaches allow aerosol particles to enter the mask. Multiple low-cost particle sensors were tested, with the Shinyei PPD60PV-T2 sensor being selected. The PPD60PV-T2 sensor can detect particles of 0.5 µm and above. These large particles cannot penetrate a properly fit respirator in quantity; thus, their detection points to a compromised seal. ReSIM utilizes an air pump to consistently draw in-mask air into the sensor without allowing external air to be pulled into the mask. ReSIM aggregates all particle detection events over 30-s intervals and determines the percentage of time during, which particles are detected, identifying spikes in particle detection corresponding to seal failures. The newly-developed ReSIM system was tested with polystyrene latex spheres, salt, and combustion aerosols under different flow conditions including cyclic breathing at 30 and 85 L/min. Results obtained while testing under cyclic breathing conditions showed 96.9% accuracy in identifying intervals with leaks versus intervals without leaks. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Fit Test; Particle Sensor; Real-time; Respirator Personal Protective Equipment; PPE; Respirators; Respiratory Protection; Fit Testing; Respirator Testing; Monitors; Aerosols; Aerosol Particles; Sensors;
• ISSN:
  0093-9994
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  54
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065057
• Citation:
  IEEE Trans Ind Appl 2018 Jul-Aug; 54(4):3928-3933
• Contact Point Address:
  Jonathan Corey, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220-0071 USA
• Email:
  coreyjn@ucmail.uc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:34098d4f3afddd80144683ea3a286515f6504fc44288b10438968f2241edc727c77e2d2dcd87df3eebd013f00c5af4dcebec3e5cae05b4b0dd8bc429dfa954fd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/249311/cdc_249311_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 583.61 KB ]