Institute of Medicine National Personal Protection Technology Laboratory

Combination Unit Respirator Workshop

30 April 2015

Stephan C. Graham, CIH, CSP Industrial Hygiene Field Services Program

Occupational Health Sciences Portfolio

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• The views expressed in this presentation are those of the

author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Department or the Army Public Health Center.

• Use of trademarked name does not imply endorsement

by the U.S. Army, but is intended only to assist in identification of a specific product.

Disclaimer

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Decades-long history with CBRN respiratory protection includes use of military masks and BMs, NIOSH/MSHA commercial/industrial respirators DA is DoD Executive Agency for chemical warfare agents (CWA): Military mask development (primary for battlefield use but also military unique industrial-like operations) CWA defense R&D (including live-agent respirator testing for NIOSH CBRN manufacturer respirator approvals) Stockpile and recovered chemical warfare materiel demilitarization programs Homeland Security support (eg, Defense Support to Civil Authorities) Installation restoration (eg, Formally Used Defense Sites- FUDS) Biological and Radiological Defense R&D

Background

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Development and impact of NIOSH certification and testing requirements for commercial respirators is of utmost importance to DA as those requirements are paramount in protecting military, civilian and contractor personnel. Current NIOSH CBRN “limitations for use” do not address reuse of respirators. Support gains from evolving CBRN technology by industry and manufacturers

Background

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What combination unit respirators does your organization use? Or would be of use for your work? Currently used CURs

NIOSH approved Airline / SCBA

Discussion Area # 1

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• Heat sealed, one-time use • Weight ~ 50 lbs with support equipment • Airtight for highest level of protection • Use in disposal plant areas where chemical weapons are disassembled and agent destroyed • Tens of thousands of entries • Radio communications with emergency crew, control room and support staff • Heart monitor around chest

Picture courtesy US Army – Chemical Materials Agency

Demilitarized Protective Ensemble (DPE)

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Ton Container Drill and Drain Level A IDLH

DPE (continued)

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Maintenance Packaging Waste Level A Area IDLH

DPE (continued)

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DPE CUR – Emergency Breathing Apparatus (EBA) 8 minute SCBA for Escape and Type C Supplied Air Respirator, Mine Safety Appliance, Approval No. TC-13F-353 Air cylinder life-expectancy expected to expire 2018 Manufacturer no longer making replacement parts No commercial or government off the shelf unit available as direct replacement

DPE (continued)

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Escape Breathing Apparatus (EBA)

DPE (continued)

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Picture courtesy Program Executive Office Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives

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Portable Explosive Destruction System (EDS) • Projectiles filled with CWA or munitions/items with industrial chemicals eg. phosgene, chloropicrin, cyanogen chloride • Military masks or NIOSH approved industrial respirators routinely used unless monitoring indicates need to elevate to SCBA

Recovered Chemical Warfare Materiels

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Picture courtesy US Army Recovered Chemical Materiel Directorate

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Contractor conducted action Comply with OSHA HAZWOPER & Army/COE Safety Regulations

USACOE Chemical Warfare Material and HAZWASTE Investigations and Removal Actions

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Picture courtesy US Army Corps of Engineers

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• Airline with emergency SCBA, entry & escape (Levels A, B) • Airline with emergency SCBA, escape (Levels A, B) • NP APR with SCBA, entry and escape (Level B, C) • NP APR with supplied air (tethered airline) (Levels B, C) • APR-PAPR with SCBA, entry and escape (Levels B, C) (such as law enforcement and fire/responder examples shown during NPPTL Webinar)

• APR-PAPR with SCBA, escape (Levels B, C) • Others that may offer increases in protection – for example: APR-PAPR with closed circuit SCBA

NIOSH CBRN approved CURs that would be of use

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• Unique features • Switching technologies between respirator modes

Discussion Area # 2

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Past and Current Features: • Ability for user to enter and exit IDLH work areas • Ability for user to remain in IDLH / <IDLH work area completely

protected for prolonged periods (up to 4 hours/work plan limits to 2 hours)

• Escape mobility (switch from tethered to SCBA) • Profile fit under Level A/B • Incorporation of technology including noise reduction / hearing

protection, two-way communications, heads-up displays (HUDs) with visual air supply warning and system operating features, comfort cooling / heating wearing Level A/B

• Weapon sighting • Buddy breathing for emergency escape

CUR Unique Features

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• Expand “Limitations for use” that allow Reuse of vapor exposed CURs

• Current NIOSH T&C criteria based on first-responder “once in a lifetime” exposure potential

• Current NIOSH requirements provide routine user increased cost with no increase in worker protection

• DA routinely works with CBRN agents wearing RPDs • DA program uses:

• Low-level worker monitoring / equipment monitoring • Laundry and maintenance including facepiece/unit testing

using breathing/negative pressure machine & challenge particulate APF

• Fit testing • Specific medical surveillance for chemicals of concern

CUR Future Features

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• Same features as current CURs provide • Stealth for law enforcement roles • New technologies - digital 3D-GPS, non-movement alarms • Decon resistant if used in chemical vapor-only

environment (current respirators can be deconned if biological exposure)

• Lighter weight – combo units plus technologies = max wt?

CUR Future Features (continued)

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• Automatic switching w/user notification (WUN) for O2

deficiency • Automatic switching WUN for high contaminant level

requiring supplied air/SBCA – interface with portable monitor(s)

• Manual override

CUR Switching Technologies

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If the performance standards of these respirators were changed to certify the minimum laboratory respiratory protection level for all combinations included in this type of respirator, would you be more likely to use a combination unit? Yes !

Discussion Area # 3

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Describe occupational exposures where this combination respiratory protection is/could be useful? Entry into extensive or congested contamination zone. Travel along low-level contamination path to high-level contamination work area (or work task with potential to release high-level contamination). Extended worker time-on-task. Potentially extended PPE decontamination time so that potential for PPE-to-worker cross-contamination is minimal.

Discussion Area # 4

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