§ 84.179 - Silica dust loading test - PAPR series HE filtration.

§ 84.179 Non-Silica dust loading test - PAPR series HE filtration.

(a) Three powered air-purifying particulate respirators

; filter identification.

(a) The respirator manufacturer, as part of the application for certification, shall specify the filter series and the filter efficiency level (i.e., “N95”, “R95, “P95”, “N99, “R99”, “P99”, “N100”, “R100”, or “P100”) for which certification is being sought.

(b) Filters shall be prominently labeled as follows:

(1) N100 filters shall be labeled “N100 Particulate Filter (99.97% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(2) R100 filters shall be labeled “R100 Particulate Filter (99.97% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(3) P100 filters shall be labeled “P100 Particulate Filter (99.97% filter efficiency level)” and shall be color coded magenta.

(4) N99 filters shall be labeled “N99 Particulate Filter (99% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(5) R99 filters shall be labeled “R99 Particulate Filter (99% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(6) P99 filters shall be labeled “P99 Particulate Filter (99% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(7) N95 filters shall be labeled as “N95 Particulate Filter (95% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(8) R95 filters shall be labeled as “R95 Particulate Filter (95% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta.

(9) P95 filters shall be labeled as “P95 Particulate Filter (95% filter efficiency level)” and shall be a color other than magenta

will be tested for a period of 4 hours each at a flowrate not less than 115 liters per minute for tight-fitting facepieces, and not less than 170 liters per minute for loose-fitting hoods and helmets.

(b) The relative humidity in the test chamber will be 20-80 percent, and the room temperature approximately 25 °C.

(c) The test suspension in the chamber will not be less than 50 nor more than 60 mg of flint (99 + percent free silica) per m³ of air.

(d) The flint in suspension will be 99 + percent through a 270-mesh sieve.

(e) The particle-size distribution of the test suspension will have a geometric mean of 0.4 to 0.6 µm and the standard geometric deviation will not exceed 2.

(f) The total amount of unretained test suspension in samples taken during testing must not exceed 14.4 mg for a powered air-purifying particulate respirator with tight-fitting facepiece, and 21.3 mg for a powered air-purifying particulate respirator with loose-fitting hood or helmet.