Policy Glossary

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Contaminants

Any organic or inorganic substances, dust, fume, mist, vapor, or gas. Their presence in the air may be harmful to human beings.

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Facepiece

That portion of a respirator that covers the wearer's nose and mouth in quarter-mask (above the chin) or half-mask (under the chin) facepiece or that covers the nose, mouth, and eyes in a full facepiece. It is designed to make a gas-tight or particle-tight fit with the face and includes the headbands, exhalation valve(s), and connections for an air-purifying device or respirable gas course, or both.

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Filter

A media component used in respirators to remove solid or liquid particles from the inspired air.

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Hazardous Atmosphere

Any atmosphere, either immediately or not immediately dangerous to life or health, which is oxygen deficient or which contains a toxic or disease-producing contaminant.

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Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)

Any atmosphere that poses an immediate hazard to life or produces immediate irreversible debilitating effects on health.

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Negative Pressure Respirator

A respirator in which the air pressure inside the respiratory-inlet covering is positive during exhalation in relation to the air pressure of the outside atmosphere and negative during inhalation in relation to the air pressure of the outside atmosphere.

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Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

The maximum eight hour time weighted average of an airborne contaminant(s) to which an employee may be exposed. At no time shall the exposed level exceed the ceiling level concentration or excursion value.

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Qualitative Fit-Testing

Respirator testing designed to determine if leakage occurs.

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Quantitative Fit-Testing

Respirator testing designed to measure the amount of leakage.

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Respirator

A device designed to protect the wearer from the inhalation of harmful atmospheres.

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