• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2008

A respirator is useful to protect a worker from the harmful gases and vapors in the workplace, and the evaluation of respirator cartridge service life is important for the worker's health and safety. The performance of cartridge is effected by several factors such as concentration of gas and vapor, humidity, temperature, adsorbents and cartridge packing density. Adsorption model was applied to both sampling tube and respirator cartridge to predict the service life for organic vapors. The variables of the adsorption model were measured from the experiment with the sampling tube, and it was used to predict the service life of respirator cartridge. In the experiment, we used carbon tetrachloride as a organic vapor and activated carbon take out respirator cartridge as activated carbon. As a result, it was possible to predict the service life of respirator cartridge and predicted service life was quite correct. Breakthrough time decreased with increase of CCl4 concentration. In case of sampling tube, adsorbed amount of CCl4 was larger than respirator cartridge due to linear velocity. Also, rate constant of sampling tube was larger than respirator cartridge, because of, effect of flow rate, packing density. In the prediction of service life of respirator cartridge by using sampling tube, the time required for 50% contaminant breakthrough(${\tau}$) is more effective than the rate constant(k').

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.370-376
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• 2019

Background: Respirator fit testing is a method to assess if the respirator provides an adequate face seal for the worker. Methods: Workers from four Norwegian smelters were invited to participate in the study, and 701 respirator fit tests were performed on 127 workers. Fourteen respirator models were included: one FFABE1P3 and 11 FFP3 respirator models produced in one size and two silicone half masks with P3 filters available in three sizes. The workers performed a quantitative fit test according to Health and Safety Executive 282/28 with 5-6 different respirator models, and they rated the respirators based on comfort. Predictors of overall fit factors were explored. Results: The pass rate for all fit tests was 62%, 56% for women, and 63% for men. The silicone respirators had the highest percentage of passed tests (92-100%). The pass rate for the FFP3 models varied from 19-89%, whereas the FFABE1P3 respirator had a pass rate of 36%. Five workers did not pass with any respirators, and 14 passed with all the respirators tested. Only 63% passed the test with the respirator they normally used. The mean comfort score on the scale from 1 to 5 was 3.2. The respirator model was the strongest predictor of the overall fit factor. The other predictors (age, sex, and comfort score) did not improve the fit of the model. Conclusion: There were large differences in how well the different respirator models fitted the Norwegian smelter workers. The results can be useful when choosing which respirators to include in respirator fit testing programs in similar populations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.133-145
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• 1998

The purposes of this study were to assess current status of respirator usage among workers in the small-scale industries and to identify those factors causing respirator wearers not to continuously wear respirators during work. Total 168 workers participated voluntarily in the survey. In order to cover all possible reasons, though not exclusive, 33 diverse questions were developed based upon the results in the published literatures and from researchers' own experience. The most common type of respirator worn was the disposable single-use respirator(42%). However, masks made of gauze, which should not be considered as a respirator, were widely used (38%). Only 28% of respondents indicated they wear respirators continuously during work. The major reasons for removing respirators include, in descending order of frequency, difficulty in breathing (46%), sweating (39%), bothered by frequent removal (21%), inadequate mask size (19%) and hot air temperature inside the respirator (19%), etc. In addition, minor reasons including mask design, administrative, and personal reasons were also identified. These reasons should be considered in a well designed respirator program in order to improve workers' acceptance and usage of respirators.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.72-78
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• 1996

The breakthrough curves of a sampling tube were studied to predict the service life of a respirator cartridge for organic vapors. The fixed bed adsorption model was applied to respirator cartridge and it's variables were calculated from tile experiment of sampling tube. By the experiment and simulation, it was possible to predict the service life of a respirator cartridge, however, not adequate at low $CCl_4$ concentration less than 700ppm and at high air humidify. The breakthrough curves of sampling tube were irregular compare to that of respirator cartridge due to .packing density.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2020

A lot of research has been conducted on a system that collects and observes patients' health information in real time using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and cares for and supports patients based on this. However, most studies have focused on underlying diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and research on IoT systems to cope with respiratory infectious diseases such as COVID-19 is still insufficient. In a COVID-19 situation, the purpose of using an IoT respirator may vary depending on the user. In this paper, we design a system that can adequately cope with respiratory infectious diseases such as COVID-19 by applying IoT technology to respiratory protection. We categorize IoT respirator wearers into patients, medical staff, and self-quarantine persons, and define the purpose and use case of the IoT respirator system according to each classification. The proposed IoT respirator system was designed to achieve each purpose. We developed a prototype system consisting of a smart sensor, a communication module, and a non-motorized hooded respirator to show that the proposed IoT respirator system works.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.393-403
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• 2014

Objectives: Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) intended to provide guidance to respirator program administrators on respirator selection. The purpose of this project is to suggest a preliminary respirator selection guide(PRSG) for the final guidance certified by KOSHA for the correct selection of respirators in the workplace. Materials: This PRSG was made on the based of current status of respirator usage including respirators available in Korea, foreign documents search and so on. PRSG was partially modified NIOSH pocket guide to chemical hazards, 3M Respirator Protection Resource Guide(RPRG) and OSHA Assigned Protection Factor(APF) rulemaking. Results: Respirators for chemicals having Korean Occupational Exposure Limits(KOELs) can be recommended in PRSG. For the others chemicals that have no KOELs, PRSG tells you what respirators you can select, using a simple step-by-step approach after health hazard assessment like HSE procedure. Conclusions: PRSG helps you to decide the right level of protection for a given hazardous substance and how to select the right respirators. PRSG is thus expected to reduce significant misuses of respirators for the work environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 1996

To predict the service life of an organic vapor respirator cartridge, the breakthrough curve of respirator was simulated using a fixed-bed adsorption model and compared with that of sampling tube. And the effects of bed porosity, length to diameter ratio and flow rate of the sampling tube were studied. The life time of respirator cartridge was increased with the decrease of particle size and bed porosity. And the breakthrough time of sampling tube was affected by the flow rate, however not by the length to diameter ratio. The 10% breakthrough time of the sampling tube was corresponded with that of cartridge.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.38-54
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• 1996

Respirator fit testing is required before entering specific work environmentals to ensure that the respirator worn satisfies a minimum of fit and that the user knows when the respirator fits properly. The fit of a respirator can be determined by qualitative (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT). The QNFT, having been universally accepted more than the QLFT, provide an objective and numerical basis by measuring a fit factor (FF). Until a few years age, only one QNFT technigue was available and accepted by U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. In the 1980's and 1990's, several new and fundamentally different QNFT methods were developed. Two of the newer methods are commercially availale and are accepted by OSHA as suitable alternatives. In this articles, the principle of operation of each ONFT technique is explained and each technique's major advantages and disadvantages are pointed out. Emphasis is given to negative-pressure air-purifying respirators, as they are in most frequent use today. The requirements and recommendations for fit testing positive-pressure respirators are discussed as well. Finally, the presently available QNFT standards and regulations are summarized to assist the user in making fit testing decisions.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.240-246
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• 2022

In order to measure the respiratory rate, one of the major vital signs, many devices have been developed and related studies have been conducted. In particular, as the number of wearers of respirators increases in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, studies have been conducted to measure the respiratory rate of the wearer by attaching an electronic sensor to the respirator, but most of them are cases in which an air flow sensor or a microphone sensor is used. In this study, we design and develop a system that measures the respiratory rate of the wearer using an air pressure sensor in a respirator. Air pressure sensors are inexpensive and consume less power than the other sensors. In addition, since the amount of data required for calculation is small and the algorithm is simple, it is suitable for small-scale and low-power processing devices such as Arduino. We developed an algorithm to measure the respiratory rate of a respirator wearer by analysing air pressure change patterns. In addition, variables that can affect air pressure changes were selected, and experimental scenarios were designed according to the variables. According to the designed scenario, we collected air pressure data while the respirator wearer was breathing. The performance of the developed system was evaluated using the collected data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2018

This study compares the interrelation of fit factor(FF) and visual acuity test by the order of wearing preference between Particulate filtering face piece respirators(PFFR) and glasses for 54 participants. Glasses fitting factors is Optical Center Height(OH), Vertex Distance(VD) and Pantoscopic Angle(PA) or Visual acuity. We measured those factors and expressed by the ratio of standard point and change point. Quantitative fit factor was measured by Portacount Pro+ 8038 and compared the result of preference of wearing order between respirators and glasses. Also, we selected to 6 exercises among 8 exercises OSHA QNFT (Quantitative Fit testing) protocol to measure the fit factors. The pass/ fail criterion of FF was set at 100. Visual acuity test chart is developed by Chunsuk Han was used, Descriptive statistics was performed. Descriptive statistics(SAS ver 9.2), it is used geometric means, Wilcoxon analysis, peason correlation(P=0.05) Fit factor was increased when the respirator was worn before wearing the glasses(p=0.000) and decreased for visual acuity(p=0.000) The negative correlation was showed between OH and Overall fit factor(r=-0.409, p=0.002). Among 54 participants, 11 participants(20.3%) were worn respirator before wearing glasses and 1 participant(1.9%) was worn glasses before wearing respirator. The overall fit test showed the higher level was investigated for the group of participants wearing respirator before wearing glasses in 6 exercises. Also, overall fit factor were increased when participants wore glasses prior to respirator(16.6) to respirator prior to glasses(36.6). Visual acuity were increased when participants wore respirator prior to glasses(93.8) to glasses prior to respirator(106.0). Finally, comparison result of overall fit factor and visual acuity were glasses first choice from mask first choice. The results showed that higher overall fit factor was investigate when the participants wore the respirator prior to glassess at all. The results implied that it is important to maintain the overall fit factor and visual acuity according to the consideration of OH for glasses fitting when worker wore respirator and glasses at the same time.