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Australian workers are exposed to emissions from diesel engines in a variety of workplaces. Diesel particulate matter (DPM) has the potential to cause serious health impacts for exposed workers, including lung cancer, irritation, and adverse cardiovascular effects. Personal respiratory protective devices (RPD) are a common control measure to mitigate worker exposure from the damaging health impacts of DPM, and to protect against these adverse impacts they need to act as effective filters. The filtering efficiency (FE) of RPD in current standards is determined by challenging the filter media with specified test aerosols, to calculate the penetration at designated flow rates. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate whether current protocols to test FE specified in AS/NZS1716 (Standards Australia Ltd & Standards New Zealand 2012) ensure that Class P2 filters used in Australian workplaces effectively prevent workers from the adverse health impacts of inhaling DPM.

This study was designed to determine whether Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) filters approved and used in Australian workplaces effectively protect workers from exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM), and whether current protocols specified in the Australian Standard for respiratory protective devices (Standards Australia International Ltd and Standards New Zealand, 2012)ensure worker health is protected.

To determine whether currently utilised respirator filters effectively filter out Diesel Particulate Matter and provide worker protection; by testing respirator filters used in mining workplaces against DPM, and by measuring the sizes of particles that are penetrating the filters to determine whether that poses an additional health risk for workers.

presented at AIOH 2016, 3-7 December 2016, Gold Coast, Australia.

Poster presentation at The 18th International Conference of International Society for Respiratory Protection, 7-11 November 2016, Yokohama, Japan.

Poster presentation made at the 20th ETH-Conference on Combustion Generated Nanoparticles, 13-16 June 2016, Zurich, Switzerland. Aim: Ultrafine diesel engine emissions are known to cause adverse health impacts including lung cancer, cardiovascular and irritant effects (World Health Organisation 2012). Respiratory protective devices are commonly used to mitigate worker exposure to many hazardous contaminants, especially in heavy industry such as mining and refining. Current standards to evaluate penetration through respirator filter media may not consider ultrafine particles due to the diameter of the challenge aerosol and the detection limit of the instrument (Eninger et al. 2008). Nor do they test penetration at flow rates representative of moderate to heavy work rates. Research is currently being undertaken at the University of Wollongong, Australia, to develop a method to measure penetration through respirator filter media using diesel emissions, rather than the standard challenge aerosol of NaCl, at flow rates consistent with moderate to heavy work rates. Methods: Emissions from a Detroit D706 LTE diesel engine were fed into an experimental chamber which was purpose built for the study. Penetration through a range of commonly used respirator filters in Australian workplaces was determined by particle count at diameters ranging from 5.6 - 560nm, using an Engine Emissions Particle Sizer (EEPS). Penetration was also measured by mass of Elemental Carbon, using NIOSH 5040. Flow rates were as designated in AS/NZS 1716 (Standards Australia International Ltd & Standards New Zealand 2012) and ISO DIS 16975 - 1.2 Work Rates 2 and 3 (ISO 2015), consistent with moderate to heavy work rates. Results and Conclusions: A method has been developed and validated and a pilot study completed. Initial findings indicate penetration exceeded standards specified limits for filtering efficiency for a number of filters for the size range <50 >nm, when measured as a function of particle c

Diesel engines have been a mainstay within many industries since the early 1900s. Exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM) is a major issue in many industrial workplaces given the potential for serious health impacts to exposed workers; including the potential for lung cancer and adverse irritant and cardiovascular effects. Personal respiratory protective devices are an accepted safety measure to mitigate worker exposure against the potentially damaging health impacts of DPM. To be protective, they need to act as effective filters against carbon and other particulates. In Australia, the filtering efficiency of respiratory protective devices is determined by challenging test filter media with aerosolised sodium chloride to determine penetration at designated flow rates. The methodology outlined in AS/NZS1716 (Standards Australia International Ltd and Standards New Zealand 2012. Respiratory protective devices. Sydney/Wellington: SAI Global Limited/Standards New Zealand) does not account for the differences between characteristics of workplace contaminants like DPM and sodium chloride such as structure, composition, and particle size. This study examined filtering efficiency for three commonly used AS/NZS certified respirator filter models, challenging them with two types of diesel emissions; those from a diesel generator and a diesel engine. Penetration through the filter media of elemental carbon (EC), total carbon (TC), and total suspended particulate (TSP) was calculated. Results indicate that filtering efficiency assumed by P2 certification in Australia was achieved for two of the three respirator models for DPM generated using the small diesel generator, whilst when the larger diesel engine was used, filtering efficiency requirements were met for all three filter models. These results suggest that the testing methodology specified for certification of personal respiratory protective devices by Standards Australia may not ensure adequate protection for respirat

Diesel engines have been a mainstay within many industries since the early 1900’s. Exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM) is a major issue in many industrial workplaces given the potential for serious health impacts to exposed workers, including lung cancer and adverse cardiovascular and irritant effects. Personal respiratory protective devices are a common safety measure to mitigate worker exposure against the damaging health impacts of DPM, and to protect they need to act as effective filters. Filtering efficiency of respiratory protection is determined by challenging filter media with specified test aerosols to calculate penetration at designated flow rates. However, the methodology outlined in AS/NZS1716 (Standards Australia International Ltd & Standards New Zealand 2009) does not account for the differences in structure, particle size and chemical characteristics of DPM and the specified test aerosol sodium chloride, nor increased breathing rates typical in labour intensive work environments. For these reasons, a more effective test strategy / model is required. Three commonly used AS/NZS certified respirator filters were challenged with diesel emissions from both a small diesel generator and an industrial sized diesel engine to assess the filter efficiency of these varying sources of diesel emissions. Penetration of elemental carbon (EC), total carbon (TC) and Total Particulate Matter (TPM) at the standard designated flow rate, as well as a higher flow rate representative of heavy work, was determined for the small diesel generator. Penetration of EC, TC and TPM at the standard designated flow rate was determined for the larger engine. Results indicate that filtering efficiency assumed by P2 certification in Australia was achieved for two of the three respirator models at the designated flow rate, and for potentially only one respirator model at a higher flow rate for the smaller diesel generator. For the larger diesel engine at the standard designated fl

presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Exposition, May 30 - June 4 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah.

of a presentation that was presented at 17th ISRP Conference, Prague, 21-25 September 2014.

Reed, S., Pisaniello, D., Benke, G., & Burton, K. (Eds.). (2019). Principles of occupational health and hygiene (2nd ed). Allen and Unwin. https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/academic-professional/health/Principles-of-Occupational-Health-and-Hygiene-Edited-by-Sue-Reed-Dino-Pisaniello-Geza-Benke-and-Kerrie-Burton-9781743311295