Employees working in a spray booth will be exposed to solvent fumes, isocyanates, sanding dust, and other harmful air borne particles. Respirators must be used to protect workers from exposure to these materials.

(1) Chemical fumes (paint solvents, isocyanate hardeners, cleaning and degreasing materials, propellants from aerosol cans) during such activities as paint mixing, paint spraying, dispensing paint, cleaning with solvents, and waste paint and solvent disposal,
(2) Dust and fumes generated by dry sanding, welding, or other mechanical work in a shop.

There are a large variety of respirator types available on the market for auto shop workers, and numerous suppliers to choose from. The selection of the proper type of respirator depends on the specific hazard that the workers may be exposed to for a specific task. Some examples include:

" Full face air supplied respirators
" Full or half face air purifying respirators
" Dust masks

Your paint supplier's MSDS, container labels, product or technical bulletins, product training courses, or their web sites are good sources of information for choosing the right respirator for the job. For example, when spraying, paint suppliers generally recommend a NIOSH Type C air line respirator with a full-face piece or hood operated in a positive mode. Whatever respirator you choose, ensure that it complies with all applicable codes or regulations in your jurisdiction. In Canada, 3M recommends that you follow the CSA Standard Z94.4 or the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction in your region.

The user instructions contain the proper procedures for putting on the respirator and checking for fit and seal. 3M also states that it is very important to read and follow these instructions very carefully and to conduct a fit check or user seal check every time the respirator is put on. The user instructions are usually provided with the original packaging of the respirator.

There is an abundance of detailed, specific information on care and use of respirators for workers in a collision repair facility. Listed below are a number of these sources:

1. More details on care of respirators can be obtained from the CCOHS.

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/respcare.html

2. Further information on respirator specification, care, use, storage is available on line from 3M Canada.

http://cms.3m.com/cms/CA/en/1-30/cFlieFW/view.jhtml

3. The following EPA web site "Respiratory Protection Program for Auto Refinish Shops" provides a wealth of detail on this subject

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/auto/respirator/rpp.pdf