3. Respiratory protective equipment
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) are used in many workplaces to protect workers when working with hazardous substances. These include
- gases
- sprays
- solvents
- dusts.
RPE comes with various forms, such as
The use of masks or respirators should not be the first or only
precaution taken to protect your workforce. It is however a very good temporary precaution while you make arrangements for proper protection.
You should take every other reasonable step to control the exposure and improve air quality and ventilation in your work area.
Your justification for using RPE should be clear in your risk assessment, which needs to be written if you have five or more employees.
The equipment must fit the wearer and be the right type for the task, the substance and the work environment.
If using or selecting RPE, it is important to select the correct equipment and correct fit for the workers concerned. This will vary depending on the worker and the jobs they do.
Select the right RPE
You can use the RPE Selector Tool to determine what kind of equipment you or your employees will need for a hazardous substance, activity and work area involved.
Use the RPE selector tool
Types of RPE
Information on different types of RPE can be foundusing the links below.
Find out more
Watch the
Clean Air? Take Care!’ campaign video to help you correctly select and use respirators. It provides a summary on selection and use of RPE at work.
Visit the
dust hub on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) site.