Page 2 - PPE GUIDELINE
P. 2
Guidelines on the Use of PPE Against Chemical Hazards
1.1 Scope & Application
These guidelines is intended as a guide for employers in order to comply with the
requirements pertaining to the use of approved and suitable personal protective
equipment as stipulated under the Occupational Safety & Health (Use and Standard of
Exposure of Chemical Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000. This guideline will not
cover personal protective equipment that is not related to protection against chemical
exposures such as hearing protectors or safety harness.
1.2 Definitions
1.2.1 Terms Used Under Respiratory Protection
Aerosol
Particles (solid or liquid) suspended in the air.
Breakthrough (for cartridges/canister)
A stated concentration of the chemical can be detected on the downstream side of the
cartridge or canister.
Canister/Cartridge
A container with either a filter, sorbent or catalyst, or combination of these items,
which removes specific contaminant(s) from the air passed through the container.
Change schedule
A predetermined interval of time after which an existing cartridge is replaced with a
new one.
Degree of protection afforded by a respirator
Ratio of the airborne concentration of the contaminant outside the respirator (Co) to
the concentration of contaminant inside the face piece of the respirator (Ci).
Disposable respirator/Maintenance free respirator
A device for which maintenance is not intended and which is designed to be discarded
after excessive breathing resistance; sorbent exhaustion, physical damage or end-of-
service-life renders it unsuitable for use.
Department of Occupational Safety & Health, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia October 2005 2
